Nonstationary electrochemical response to the intermittent Portevin–Le Chatelier deformation in an aluminum–magnesium alloy

It has been established that the Portevin–Le Chatelier effect in the AlMg6 aluminum–magnesium alloy deformed in an aqueous medium is accompanied by an intermittent electrochemical response, such as the negative jumps of the electrode potential of the sample, which occur simultaneously with the jumps of the mechanical stress on the deformation curve. Statistical and fractal analyses of the stepwise component of the electrode potential indicate the presence of long-term correlations in the structure of the electrochemical response, which are typical for the state of self-organized criticality. A possible mechanism of the appearance of jumps of the electrode potential, which is associated with the dynamics of deformation bands, is discussed.