| Abstract Scope |
Measuring dynamic constitutive responses of multiphase materials requires reproducing rapid thermomechanical transients while preserving metastable phases and microstructures. Here, we introduce a custom-built rapid-heating thermo-mechanical testing platform for investigating the high-temperature, high-strain-rate (10³–10⁴ s⁻¹) behavior of multiphase materials, where the high heating rates minimize phase evolution prior to deformation. Using precipitation-strengthened aluminum alloys as a model system, we examine the roles of second-phase particles in strengthening, dislocation accumulation, and dynamic recovery at high strain rates while investigating precipitate dissolution kinetics by controlling heating rates. By integrating constitutive analysis of the dynamic response with a Johnson–Mehl–Avrami–Kolmogorov (JMAK) framework for transformation kinetics, we explore how pulsed electrical current may modify defect-mediated kinetic pathways governing precipitate evolution under non-equilibrium conditions. Post-deformation USAXS/SAXS is combined with electron microscopy to quantify precipitate evolution across multiple length scales, further providing complementary information on precipitate size distributions and morphologies across different thermal histories. |