Improved mechanical properties of 2024 aluminum alloys by electric pulse assisted rolling and subsequent aging

• Electropulsing assisted treatment (EPAR) is an efficient route for microstructure modification of 2024 alloy. • Electropulsing significantly accelerated recrystallization and textural modification, promoting a directional distribution of dislocations. • Aging after EPAR make the alloy get the outstanding combination of strength and ductility. • Electropulsing promoted the dislocation climb and atom diffusion, resulting in the rapid microstructure modification. This study investigates the microstructural evolution and mechanical property modulation of 2024 aluminum alloy (70 % rolling reduction) through electro-pulse assisted rolling (EPAR, initial current density of 10 A/mm 2 ) and subsequent aging treatment. Results indicate that EPAR-induced electron wind force generates supplementary free energy, substantially accelerating dynamic recrystallization. Specifically, the recrystallization fraction is increased to 42.6 %, accompanied by a reduction in low-angle grain boundaries to 79 %. The dominant texture transitions from < 111 > Cubic to E{111} < 110>, with a 52 % reduction in texture intensity. Additionally, dislocation density decreases from 3.42 × 10 15 m −2 in conventional rolling to 3.18 × 10 15 m −2 , transitioning from entangled configurations to uniformly distributed dislocation walls aligned with the rolling direction. During 185 °C aging, the beneficial dislocation structure and reduced precipitation activation energy in EPAR-processed specimens shorten peak aging time, achieving ultimate tensile strength of 670.9 ± 31.7 MPa and elongation of 6.6 ± 0.2 %. Strength enhancement arises from synergistic effects of precipitation strengthening (average precipitate thickness: 1.62 nm) and dislocation interactions, while improved ductility correlates with homogeneous precipitate distribution. This research establishes a theoretical framework and technical strategy for streamlined production of high-strength, high-toughness aluminum alloys.