Effect of post-ECAP aging on the microstructure, hardness and impact behaviour of 6061 Al alloy

• Published in: Materials today : proceedings Vol. 38; pp. 1031 - 1034
• Main Authors: Rominiyi, A.L., Oluwasegun, K.M., Olawale, J.O., Shongwe, M.B., Adetunji, A.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 2021
• Subjects: 6061 aluminium alloy; ECAP; Impact behaviour; Post-ECAP aging; T6 tempered alloy; Impact behaviour; Post-ECAP aging; ECAP; T6 tempered alloy; 6061 aluminium alloy
• ISSN: 2214-7853; 2214-7853
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr.2020.05.670

The effect of post-ECAP aging on the microstructure, hardness and impact behaviour of peak aged 6061 aluminium alloy after a single pass was studied in this work. SEM observations revealed the presence of the strengthening phase of Mg2Si of varying morphology within the matrix of the as-received, T6 tempered alloy and post-ECAP aged samples. The ECAPed alloy showed a significant increase in hardness with a decline in notch toughness than the as-received alloy. Application of post-ECAP aging on the ECAPed alloy resulted in a further increase in the hardness and notch toughness of the post-ECAP aged alloy when compared with the ECAPed alloy. This can be ascribed to the precipitation of the strengthening phase which predominates the recovery of the matrix during the post-ECAP aging process. Hence, post-ECAP artificial aging resulted in an optimum combination of properties of the investigated 6061 aluminium alloy.