Correlation between Mechanical Properties—Structural Characteristics and Cavitation Resistance of Cast Aluminum Alloy Type 5083

• Published in: Crystals (Basel) Vol. 12; no. 11; p. 1538
• Main Authors: Istrate, Dionisie, Sbârcea, Beatrice-Gabriela, Demian, Alin Mihai, Buzatu, Andreea Daniela, Salcianu, Laura, Bordeasu, Ilare, Micu, Lavinia Madalina, Ghera, Cristian, Florea, Bogdan, Ghiban, Brândușa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.11.2022
• Subjects: Aerospace industry; Aging; Aging (artificial); Alloys; Aluminum; aluminum alloy 5083; Aluminum alloys; Aluminum base alloys; Atoms & subatomic particles; Cavitation; Cavitation erosion; Cavitation resistance; Chemical elements; Cooling; Corrosion and anti-corrosives; Corrosion resistance; Erosion resistance; Grain size; Heat treating; Heat treatment; heat treatments; Homogenization; Laboratories; Materials science; Mechanical properties; Mediation; Metallurgy; Shipbuilding; Specialty metals industry; Stereomicroscopy; Stress concentration; Tensile strength; Weight reduction; X-rays; Yield stress; Romania; Bucharest Romania
• ISSN: 2073-4352; 2073-4352
• DOI: 10.3390/cryst12111538

The aluminum alloy type 5083, which has high corrosion resistance, excellent weldability, and good strength, is widely used in shipbuilding, automotive, aerospace, and industrial construction. The present paper has the aim of establishing a possible correlation between mechanical properties, structural characteristics, and cavitation erosion properties of the 5083 alloy after applying different heat treatments. Different homogenization heat treatments (350 °C, 450 °C) were applied, each followed by cooling in air and artificial aging at different temperature (140 °C and 180 °C) with three maintenance periods, 1 h, 12 h, and 24 h. The experiments concerning cavitation resistance of the experimental samples were completed in accordance with ASTM G32-2016. The cavitation erosion resistance were determined either by analytical diagrams MDER (or MDE) vs. cavity attack duration, or by measuring the maximum erosion attack by stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Finally, the best combination of heat treatments applied to cast aluminum products type 5083 is homogenization at 350 °C followed by artificial aging at 180 °C, at which the highest mechanical characteristics are obtained, a resilience of 25 J/cm2, a grain size of 140–180 μm, and a maximum depth of the erosion MDEmax around 14–17 µm.