Effects of thermomechanical processing on production of Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy plate

• Published in: Materials science & engineering. A, Structural materials : properties, microstructure and processing Vol. 554; pp. 33 - 40
• Main Authors: Deng, Yunlai, Zhang, Yunya, Wan, Li, Zhang, Xinming
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 30.09.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aluminum alloys; Applied sciences; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Elasticity. Plasticity; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Mechanical properties and methods of testing. Rheology. Fracture mechanics. Tribology; Metals. Metallurgy; Microanalysis; Other heat and thermomechanical treatments; Phase transformation; Physics; Recrystallization; Thermomechanical processing; Treatment of materials and its effects on microstructure and properties; Phase transformation; Aluminum alloys; Thermomechanical processing; Microanalysis; Recrystallization; Aluminium base alloys; Texture; Intergranular corrosion; Tensile strength; Quenching; Solution heat treatment; Precipitation; Hot rolling; Yield strength; Thermomechanical treatments; Pretreatment; Microstructure; Transition element alloys
• ISSN: 0921-5093; 1873-4936
• DOI: 10.1016/j.msea.2012.05.102

An Al–7.81Zn–1.81Mg–1.62Cu alloy was subjected to a kind of thermomechanical processing involving solution annealing, quenching, pre-precipitation and warm rolling, with the aim of finding a new efficient way to prevent recrystallization in Al–Zn–Mg–Cu (7XXX) series alloys. On the basis of information on the microstructures from optical metallography (OM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and on the textures from orientation distribution functions (ODFs), we learn that during subsequent solution treatment, appropriate nano/submicron-scale MgZn2 particles, which are precipitated in the thermomechanical processing, inhibit the migration of grain/sub-grain boundaries, and do not induce particle stimulated nucleation (PSN), thus leading to a remarkable decrease in the recrystallized fraction. Suitable thermomechanical processing produced an ultimate tensile strength of 528MPa and yield strength of 459MPa, as well as good intergranular corrosion (IGC) resistance.