Effect of the Application of Cold Working on the Aging Response and Mechanical Properties of an Al−4Cu−1.4Mg−0.6Ag Alloy

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تم النشر فى: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.6c06805

This study investigates the effect of cold working on the agingresponse and mechanical properties of an Al−4Cu−1.4Mg−0.6Ag (wt %) alloy.The alloy was produced from pure elemental constituents and processed bycasting, homogenization, hot rolling, and solution heat treatment. Followingsolution treatment, approximately 11% cold rolling was applied prior to artificialaging to produce a predeformed condition, while an undeformed condition wasretained for comparison. The aging behavior of both conditions was evaluated asa function of aging time. Microstructural characterization was performed usingoptical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction(XRD), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Cold working pronouncedthe deformation-induced dislocation density and promoted refinement of thesecond-phase precipitates. EBSD analysis revealed an increase in KAM-derivedGND density in the predeformed condition, while SEM observations showed afiner precipitate distribution after aging. XRD analysis confirmed the formation and evolution of Al−Cu-rich and Al−Cu−Mg-containing secondary phases after the aging process. These findings highlight the role of the retained dislocation structure instimulating heterogeneous precipitate nucleation and regulating precipitate refinement during aging. Finally, the predeformedcondition exhibited a significant enhancement in mechanical properties after aging, with the yield strength increasing from 362 to470 MPa and the ultimate tensile strength from 391 to 503 MPa, while the elongation increased from 2% to 5%. The improvedmechanical response is associated with the dual effect of the deformation-induced dislocation structure and precipitate refinement during aging.

• نوع عمل المنشور: Master thesis