Effect of cryorolling on the microstructure and properties of Al–Mn alloy, with zirconium addition

This study investigates the synergistic strengthening effect achieved by combining zirconium (Zr) microalloying with cryorolling (CR) in a 3003 aluminum alloy. Comparative analysis between room temperature rolling (RTR) and CR reveals that CR significantly impacts the microstructural evolution by effectively suppressing dynamic recovery and preserving the coherent L1 2 -Al 3 Zr dispersoids formed during homogenization. Unlike RTR, the cryogenic deformation facilitates the accumulation of a high density of dislocations and the formation of ultrafine subgrain structures. Consequently, The CR+Zr alloy achieves a peak tensile strength by suppressing dynamic recovery and global recrystallization, thereby shifting the dominant strengthening mechanism from simple dislocation forest hardening toward subgrain boundary strengthening stabilized by Al 3 Zr dispersoids.