In this study, the Repeated Upsetting (RU) process as a severe plastic deformation method was performed on the aluminum alloy 5083 (AA5083) to refine the microstructure. The microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion behavior of AA5083 before and after applying 1, 3, and 5-pass through the RU process were investigated. Based on the EBSD analysis, the average grain size of AA5083 decreased from 21.9 μm for the base metal (BM) to less than 5 μm for RUed samples. The potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results have shown that the corrosion resistance of the AA5083 increased after applying the RU process due to the grain refinement and homogenous distribution of the second phase. By increasing the RU passes from 1 to 5, the corrosion rate of AA5083 was enhanced because of rising localized plastic deformation. Scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy images confirmed the electrochemical results, in which the BM showed a severe corrosion surface compared with the RUed samples. On the other hand, tensile testsconfirmed that the maximum improvement in mechanical properties occurred after the first pass. Accordingly, the 1-pass RU product can be an ideal candidate for application under severe corrosive environments and highloading conditions.
