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Based on the nonequilibrium evolution thermodynamics, the structure refinement of metals during severe plastic deformation is investigated. To describe the formation of stationary (limiting) submicrocrystalline or nanocrystalline structures, a two-defect approximation, including the grain boundaries and dislocations, is used. Introduction of the additive noise for the main parameters into the governing equations allowed us to describe the self-consistent behavior of structural defects during the stationary structure formation. Conditions of achieving the stationary state are investigated and possible scenarios of structure refinement modes are determined. Obtained grain boundary density distributions help to estimate the composition of grain structure in the bulk of metal sample quantitatively. The analysis of time evolution of the grain boundaries density shows the presence of correlated fluctuations. The autocorrelation function, describing the frequency characteristics of the structure refinement, is determined.

Study is devoted to the establishment of regularities of structural and kinetic phenomena occurring during severe plastic deformation. The relations for the stationary dependencies have been constructed. Phase diagram of metals or alloys fragmentation modes at severe plastic deformation was obtained. The dependences of the velocity of change in the grain boundaries density on the magnitude of elastic strain were built. Also phase portraits of the kinetics of nonequilibrium variables were built. The optimal values for the first and second invariants of the elastic strain tensor are established that significantly effect on the appearance of the submicrocrystalline or nanocrystalline limiting (stationary) structure.

The approach of nonequilibrium evolution thermodynamics earlier offered is developed. It helps to describe the processes of defect formation within the adiabatic approximation. The basic equations system depends on the initial defects distribution (dislocations and grain boundaries). The phase diagram is determined with the domains of the realization of different limiting structure types. The interaction effect of several defect types on the formation of a limiting structure is investigated in terms of the internal energy. The conditions of the formation of two limiting structures are found. The kinetics of the steady-state values establishment of the defects density is investigated within the scope of the adiabatic approximation. The dislocations density change follows the evolution of the grain boundaries density in this approach. It is shown that grain sizes, in limiting structures, decrease with an increase of the elastic strains., Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures