Microstructural evolution of Mg, Ag and Zn micro-alloyed Al-Cu-Li alloy during homogenization

The microstructural evolution of a Mg, Ag and Zn micro-alloyed Al?3.8Cu?1.28Li (mass fraction, %) alloy ingot during two-step homogenization was examined in detail by optical microscopy (OM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. The results show that severe dendritic segregation exists in the as-cast ingot. There are many secondary phases, includingTB(Al7Cu4Li),θ(Al2Cu),R(Al5CuLi3) andS(Al2CuMg) phases, and a small amount of (Mg+Ag+Zn)-containing and AlCuFeMn phases. The fractions of intermetallic phases decrease sharply after 2 h of second-step homogenization. By prolonging the second-step homogenization time, theTB,θ,R,S and (Mg+Ag+Zn)-containing phases completely dissolve into the matrix. The dendritic segregation is eliminated, and the homogenization kinetics can be described by a constitutive equation in exponential function. However, it seems that the AlCuFeMn phase is separated into Al7Cu2Fe and AlCuMn phases, and the size of Al7Cu2Fe phase exhibits nearly no change when the second-step homogenization time is longer than 2 h.

Enhancing corrosion resistance of 7150 Al alloy using novel three-step aging process

The effects of a novel three-step aging process （T76＋T6） on the electrochemical corrosion behavior of 7150 extruded aluminum alloy were evaluated and compared with those of the conventional retrogression and re-aging process （T77）. The open circuit potential （OCP）, cyclic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectra （EIS） of the A1 alloys were measured after treatment in three solutions （3.5% NaCl （mass fraction）; 10 mmol/L NaCl ＋ 0.1 mol/L Na2SO4; 4 mol/L NaCl ＋ 0.5 mol/L KNO3 ＋ 0.1 mol/L HNO3）. The parameters including the corrosion potential, pitting potential, pit transition potential and steepness, and potential differences were extensively discussed to evaluate the corrosion behavior of the Al alloys. The electrochemical and scanning electron microscopy （SEM） data show that compared with the 7150-T77 Al alloy, the T76 ＋ T6 aged 7150 A1 alloy exhibits better resistance to pitting corrosion, inter-granular corrosion （IGC） and exfoliation corrosion, which is attributed to further coarsening and inter-spacing of the grain boundary particles （GBPs） as revealed by transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, the hardness tests indicate that an attractive combination of strength and corrosion resistance was obtained for the 7150 Al alloy with T76 ＋ T6 treatment.

Improvement of strength and ductility of Al-Cu-Li alloy through cryogenic rolling followed by aging

To develop an improved approach in achieving an excellent combination of high strength and ductility,the solutionized Al?Cu?Li plates were subjected to rolling at cryogenic and room temperatures,respectively,to a reduction of83%,followed by aging treatment at160°C.The results indicate that Al?Cu?Li alloys through cryogenic rolling followed by aging treatment possess better mechanical properties.Rolling at cryogenic temperature produces a high density of dislocations because of the suppression of dynamic recovery,which in turn promotes the precipitation of T1(Al2CuLi)precipitates during aging.Such high density of T1precipitates enable effective dislocation pinning,leading to an increase in strength and ductility.In contrast,room temperature rolled alloys after aging treatment exhibit lower strength and ductility due to low density of T1precipitates in the grain interior and high density of T1precipitates around subgrain boundaries.

Simulation on function mechanism of T1(Al_2CuLi) precipitate in localized corrosion of Al-Cu-Li alloys

To clarify the corrosion mechanism associated with the precipitate of T1(Al2CuLi)in Al-Li alloys,the simulated bulk precipitate of T1 was fabricated through melting and casting.Its electrochemical behavior and coupling behavior with α(Al)in 3.5% NaCl solution were investigated.Meanwhile,the simulated Al alloy containing T1 particle was prepared and its corrosion morphology was observed.The results show that there exists a dynamic conversion corrosion mechanism associated with the precipitate of T1.At the beginning,the precipitate of T1 is anodic to the alloy base and corrosion occurs on its surface.However,during its corrosion process,its potential moves to a positive direction with immersion time increasing,due to the preferential dissolution of Li and the enrichment of Cu.As a result,the corroded T1 becomes cathodic to the alloy base at a later stage,leading to the anodic dissolution and corrosion of the alloy base at its adjacent periphery.It is suggested that the localized corrosion associated with the precipitate of T1 in Al-Li alloys is caused by the alternate anodic dissolution of the T1 precipitate and the alloy base at its adjacent periphery.

Effects of pre-deformation mode and strain on creep aging bend-forming process of Al-Cu-Li alloy

The bending deformation method was adopted to characterize the creep deformation behavior of Al-Cu-Li alloy in the creep aging forming(CAF) process based on a series of CAF tests, and the evolution laws of its mechanical properties and microstructures under different pre-deformation conditions were studied. The results show that the bending creep strain characterization method can intuitively describe the creep variation. With the increase of the pre-deformation strain, the creep strain of the specimen firstly increases and then decreases. The increase of the pre-deformation strain can promote the course of aging precipitation, and improve the formed alloy’s tensile properties at room temperature, the Kahn tearing properties, and the fatigue propagation properties. Pre-rolled specimens produce a slightly weaker work hardening than pre-stretched specimens, but they also create a stronger aging-strengthening effect;thus the strength, toughness and damage performance can be improved to some extent. Among all the types of specimens, the specimen with 3% rolling after CAF treatment has the best comprehensive mechanical properties.

Mechanical properties and microstructure evolution of an Al-Cu-Li alloy subjected to rolling and aging

The mechanical properties and microstructure of Al-Cu-Li alloy sheets subjected to cryorolling(-100 ° C,-190 ℃) or hot rolling(400 ℃) and subsequent aging at 160 ℃ for different times were investigated. The dynamic precipitation and dislocation characterizations were examined via transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The grain morphologies and the fracture-surface morphologies were studied via optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Samples subjected to cryorolling followed by aging exhibited relatively high dislocation densities and a large number of precipitates compared with hot-rolled samples. The samples cryorolled at-190 ℃ and then aged for 15 h presented the highest ultimate tensile strength(586 MPa), while the alloy processed via hot rolling followed by 10 h aging exhibited the highest uniform elongation rate(11.5%). The size of precipitates increased with the aging time, which has significant effects on the interaction mechanism between dislocations and precipitates. Bowing is the main interaction method between the deformation-induced dislocations and coarsened precipitates during tensile tests, leading to the decline of the mechanical properties of the alloy during overaging. These interesting findings can provide significant insights into the development of materials possessing both excellent strength and high ductility.

Effect of Al_(3)Zr particles on hot-compression behavior and processing map for Al-Cu-Li based alloys at elevated temperatures

The influence of Al3Zr particles on the hot compression behavior and processing map(PM)of Al-Cu-Li based alloys under isothermal plane-strain compression in the temperature range of 400-500℃and at the strain rates of 0.01-10 s^-1 was investigated.The corresponding microstructure was analyzed using optical microscopy(OM),electron back-scattered diffraction(EBSD)and transmission electron microscope(TEM).The results showed that dynamic recovery(DRV)played a greater role than dynamic recrystallization(DRX)in dynamic softening.At low temperatures,the Al3Zr particles were the significant barriers to inhibit DRV and DRX grain growth.When the temperature reached 500℃,the Al3Zr particles readily spread along grain boundaries just like a necklace due to the dissolution of Al3Zr particles and rapid diffusion of Zr through grain boundary,resulting in generating the macroscopic cracks and forming an instability domain at 490-500℃,0.01 s^-1 in the PM.

Microstructural evolution of Al-Cu-Li alloys with different Li contents by coupling of near-rapid solidification and two-stage homogenization treatment

Microstructural improvement of Al-Cu-Li alloys with high Li content plays a critical role for the acquisition of excellent mechanical properties and ultra-low density.In this regard,the Al-Cu-Li alloy castings with high Li content from 1.5 wt.%to 4.5 wt.%were prepared by near-rapid solidification,followed by two-stage homogenization treatment(490℃/16 h and 530℃/16 h).The microstructural evolution and solidification behavior of the as-cast and homogenized alloys with different Li contents were systematically studied by combining experiments with calculations by Pandat software.The results indicate that with the increase of Li content,the grain sizes decrease,the solution ability of Cu in the matrixα-Al phase increases,while the content of secondary dendrites increases and the precipitated phases change from low melting point phases to high melting point phases under the near-rapid solidification.Additionally,by the coupling of near-rapid solidification and two-stage homogenization,the metastable precipitated phases(Al7Cu4Li and AlCu3)can be dissolved effectively in the alloys with Li content of 1.5 wt.%-2.5 wt.%;moreover,the stable precipitated phases(Al6CuLi3 and Al2CuLi)uniformly distribute at the grain boundaries in the alloys with Li content of 3.5 wt.%-4.5 wt.%.As a result,the refined and homogenized microstructure can be obtained.

Influence of temperature on creep behavior,mechanical properties and microstructural evolution of an Al-Cu-Li alloy during creep age forming

The effect of temperature in range of 155-175 ℃ on the creep behavior, microstructural evolution, and precipitation of an Al-Cu-Li alloy was experimentally investigated during creep ageing deformation under 180 MPa for 20 h. Increasing temperature resulted in a noteworthy change in creep ageing behaviour, including a variation in creep curves, an improvement in creep rate during early creep ageing, and an increased creep strain. Tensile tests indicate that the specimen aged at higher temperature reached peak strength within a shorter time. Transmission electron microscopy(TEM) was employed to explore the effect of temperature on the microstructural evolution of the AA2198 during creep ageing deformation. Many larger dislocations and even tangled dislocation structures were observed in the sample aged at higher temperature. The number of T1 precipitates increased at higher ageing temperature at the same ageing time. Based on the analysed results, a new mechanism, considering the combined effects of the formation of larger dislocation structures induced by higher temperature and diffusion of solute atoms towards these larger or tangled dislocations, was proposed to explain the effect of temperature on microstructural evolution and creep behaviour.

Environmentally assisted cracking resistance of Al-Cu-Li alloy AA2195 using slow strain rate test in 3.5% NaCl solution

The general corrosion and environmental cracking resistances of Al-Cu-Li alloy AA2195 were investigated in 3.5% NaCl environment and compared with those of another high strength alloy AA2219. The general corrosion resistance of these alloys was examined using immersion corrosion and potentiodynamic polarization tests, while the stress corrosion cracking （SCC） resistance was evaluated by slow strain rate test （SSRT） method. The tested samples were further characterized by SEM-EDS and optical profilometry to study the change in corrosion morphology, elemental content and depth of corrosion attack. The reduction in ductility was used as a parameter to evaluate the SCC susceptibility of the alloys. The results indicated that the corrosion resistance of AA2195 alloy was better than that of AA2219 alloy as it exhibited lower corrosion rate, along with lower pit depth and density. However, the SCC index （εNaCl/εair） measured was greater than 0.90, indicating good environmental cracking resistance of both the alloys. Detailed fractography of the failed samples under SEM？EDS, in general, revealed a typical ductile cracking morphology for both the alloys.

A novel Ti-5.55Al-6.70Zr-1.50V-0.70Mo-3.41Nb-0.21Si alloy designed using cluster-plus-glue-atom model for laser additive manufacturing

A novel Ti-5.55Al-6.70Zr-1.50V-0.70Mo-3.41Nb-0.21Si alloy was designed using the cluster formula approach(cluster-plus-glue-atom model)and prepared by laser melting deposition(LMD).Its composition formula 12[Al-Ti_(12)](AlTi_(2))+5[Al_(0.8)Si_(0.2)-Ti_(12)Zr_(2)](V_(0.8)Mo_(0.2)Nb_(1)Ti)features an enhancedβ-Ti via co-alloying of Zr,V,Mo,Nb and Si.The experimental results show that the cluster formula ofαandβphases in the novel alloy are respectivelyα-[Al-Ti_(11.5)Zr_(0.5)](Al_(1)Ti_(2))andβ-[Al_(0.8)Si_(0.2)-Ti_(13.2)Zr_(0.8)](V_(1)Mo_(0.4)Nb_(1.6)),both containing Zr elements.The fitted composition via the α andβphase cluster formulas has little difference with the actual alloy composition,suggesting that the validity of cluster-plus-glue-atom model in the alloy composition design.After hot isostatic pressing(HIP),both the Ti-6Al-4V and the novel alloy by LMD are characterized by prior-βcolumnar grains,while the typical<100>texture disappears.Compared with Ti-6Al-4V,Ti-5.55Al-6.70Zr-1.50V-0.70Mo-3.41Nb-0.21Si alloy exhibits a combination of higher strength(1,056 MPa)and higher ductility(14%)at room temperature and higher strength(580 MPa)at 550℃ after HIP,and can potentially serves as LMD materials.

Recent innovations in laser additive manufacturing of titanium alloys

Titanium(Ti)alloys are widely used in high-tech fields like aerospace and biomedical engineering.Laser additive manufacturing(LAM),as an innovative technology,is the key driver for the development of Ti alloys.Despite the significant advancements in LAM of Ti alloys,there remain challenges that need further research and development efforts.To recap the potential of LAM high-performance Ti alloy,this article systematically reviews LAM Ti alloys with up-to-date information on process,materials,and properties.Several feasible solutions to advance LAM Ti alloys are reviewed,including intelligent process parameters optimization,LAM process innovation with auxiliary fields and novel Ti alloys customization for LAM.The auxiliary energy fields(e.g.thermal,acoustic,mechanical deformation and magnetic fields)can affect the melt pool dynamics and solidification behaviour during LAM of Ti alloys,altering microstructures and mechanical performances.Different kinds of novel Ti alloys customized for LAM,like peritecticα-Ti,eutectoid(α+β)-Ti,hybrid(α+β)-Ti,isomorphousβ-Ti and eutecticβ-Ti alloys are reviewed in detail.Furthermore,machine learning in accelerating the LAM process optimization and new materials development is also outlooked.This review summarizes the material properties and performance envelops and benchmarks the research achievements in LAM of Ti alloys.In addition,the perspectives and further trends in LAM of Ti alloys are also highlighted.

Novel approach of LY12 alloy brazing

The LY12 Al alloy was brazed with the adoption of the improved KF CsF AlF 3 flux matching Ag Al Cu Zn filler metal. The shear strength of brazed joint could reach 80% of that of the substrate and the tensile strength of butt brazed joint will be 70% of that of the substrate. This was the great progress against the traditional claim that Al alloy reinforced by heat treatment could not be brazed. The experimental results and theoretical analysis had proved that it was the key issue to remove the MgO oxide film below 503 ℃ . The addition of rare earth La was the effective way to obtain better mechanical properties of the filler metal as well as brazed joints.

Microstructure and Mechanical Property of Al-Cu-Li Alloy Joint by Laser Welding with Filler Wire

The Al-Cu-Li alloy is welded by using laser beam welding,and the welding wire ER4043 is used as filler metal. The microstructure and mechanical property of welded joints are systematically investigated. Microstructure analyses show that the fusion zone is mainly composed of α-Al matrix phase and some strengthening phases including T,δ’,θ’,β’ and T1,etc. During welding,the weld formation and joint quality are obviously improved by the addition of Al-Si filler wire. The measurements of mechanical property indicate that,compared with that of the base metal(BM), the microhardness in the weld zone is decreased to a certain extent. Under the appropriate welding parameters,the tensile strength of welded joint reaches 369.4 MPa,which is 67.8% of that of the BM. There are many dimples on the joint fracture surface,and it mainly presents the fracture characteristic of dimple aggregation.

High density dislocations enhance creep ageing response and mechanical properties in 2195 alloy sheet

The creep strain of conventionally treated 2195 alloy is very low,increasing the difficulty of manufacturing Al-Cu-Li alloy sheet parts by creep age forming.Therefore,finding a solution to improve the creep formability of Al-Cu-Li alloy is vital.A thorough comparison of the effects of cryo-deformation and ambient temperature large pre-deformation(LPD)on the creep ageing response in the 2195 alloy sheet at 160℃with different stresses has been made.The evolution of dislocations and precipitates during creep ageing of LPD alloys are revealed by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy.High-quality 2195 alloy sheet largely pre-deformed by 80%without edge-cracking is obtained by cryo-rolling at liquid nitrogen temperature,while severe edge-cracking occurs during room temperature rolling.The creep formability and strength of the 2195 alloy are both enhanced by introducing pre-existing dislocations with a density over 1.4×10^(15)m^(−2).At 160℃and 150 MPa,creep strain and creep-aged strength generally increases by 4−6 times and 30−50 MPa in the LPD sample,respectively,compared to conventional T3 alloy counterpart.The elongation of creep-aged LPD sample is low but remains relevant for application.The high-density dislocations,though existing in the form of dislocation tangles,promote the formation of refined T1 precipitates with a uniform dispersion.

REVIEW ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF MAGNESIUM ALLOYS

The current research and development of magnesium alloys is summarized. Several aspects of magnesium alloys are described： cast Mg alloy, wrought Mg alloy, and novel processing. The subjects are discussed individually and recommendations for further study are listed in the final section.

Microstructure Evolution and Mechanical Properties of Friction Stir Welded Al-Cu-Li Alloy

The investigation concentrates on friction stir welded(FSW)Al-Cu-Li alloy concerning its local microstructural evolution and mechanical properties.The grain features were characterized by electron back scattered diffraction(EBSD)technology,while precipitate characterization was conducted by using transmission electron microscopy(TEM)aligned along[011]Al and[001]Al zone axes.The mechanical properties are evaluated through micro-hardness and tensile testing.It can be found that nugget zones exhibit finely equiaxed grains evolved through complete dynamic recrystallization(DRX),primarily occurring in continuous dynamic recrystallization(CDRX)and discontinuous dynamic recrystallization(DDRX).In the thermal-mechanically affected zone(TMAZ),numerous sub-structured grains,exhibiting an elongated morphology,were created due to partial DRX,signifying the dominance of CDRX,DDRX,and geometric dynamic recrystallization(GDRX)in this region.T_(1)completely dissolves in the nugget zone(NZ)leading to the formation of Guinier-Preston zones and increase ofδ′,β′and S′.Conversely,T_(1)partially solubilizes in TMAZ,the lowest hardness zone(LHZ)and heat affected zone(HAZ),and the residual T_(1)undergoes marked coarsening,revealing various T_(1)variants.The solubilization and coarsening of T_(1)are primary contributors to the degradation of hardness and strength.θ′primarily dissolves and coarsens in NZ and TMAZ,whilst this precipitate largely coarsens in HAZ and LHZ.σ,TB,grain boundary phases(GBPs)and precipitate-free zone(PFZ)are newly generated during FSW.σexists in the TMAZ,LHZ and HAZ,whereas TB nucleates in NZ.GBPs and PFZ mostly develop in LHZ and HAZ,which can cause strain localization during tensile deformation,potentially leading to LHZ joint fracture.

Dislocation density-me diate d creep ageing behavior of an Al-Cu-Li alloy

Creep aging is well-known to be a time-dependent,coupled process of deformation and precipitation strengthening for age-hardening alloys.Its existing mechanisms are mainly attributed to those interac-tions between atomic diffusion and dislocation motion.However,an understanding of the relationship between dislocation density and a special multistage creep behavior,i.e.,double steady creep feature,is still far limited.Here we investigate the effect of various dislocation density levels on such an abnormal multistage creep of an Al-Cu-Li alloy.We find that the increased dislocation densities enable an apparent time decrease(from 6.2 h to 0.8 h)of their first steadyⅡ-stage.The yield strength of post-aged sam-ples increases from 425.0 MPa to 580.0 MPa while the corresponding elongation decreases from 12.3%to 7.3%for the creep-aged samples#1 to#4.Microstructural results also reveal that a great difference in dislocation configuration,tailored by various density levels,results in varying creep processes of theⅡ-stage.This stage is closely related to the nucleation and early growth of T_(1)precipitates.Their number densities(maximum:2.9×10^(19)m^(-3))and the average length(maximum:21.3 nm)of T_(1)precipitates are much smaller than those of the stable peak-aged T_(1)phases,suggesting that creepⅡ-stage of all three creep-aged samples is dominant by the nucleation and initial growth of those T_(1)precipitates.This study provides valuable insights into the dislocation density-mediated creep deformation of an Al-Cu-Li alloy.

新型倾斜板技术半固态铸造Al-20Si合金

采用新型倾斜板技术,通过半固态铸造制备过共晶Al-20Si合金材料,对Si相的尺寸与分布进行了研究。结果表明,新型倾斜板半固态铸造技术可以制备性能优良的Al-20Si合金,对初晶Si组织有很大的改善。在本试验条件下,倾角α=45°,倾斜板长度L=300mm,浇注温度t=630℃,倾斜板在室温条件下可获得细小均匀的初晶Si组织。

高强变形镁合金研究现状及发展趋势

大规格高强镁合金构件的研究开发对于推进镁合金的大规模应用意义重大,并引起国内外的广泛关注及高度重视。本文综述了常规高强镁合金、含稀土高强镁合金、新型塑性变形工艺及大规格镁合金的研究现状,指出了高强镁合金研究存在的问题及今后的研究方向。