The optimisation of heat treatment parameters for selected cast AlZnMgCu(Mn) alloys

The publication presents the results of optimisation of parameters of complex heat treatment of as-cast AlZnMgCu(Mn) alloys consisting in retrogression and reaging (RRA, Retrogression and Re-aging). For comparison purposes, the analysis of a standard T6 heat treatment and a T7 heat treat-ment (according to PN-EN 515:1996) which improve resistance to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) were carried out. To optimise the parameters of heat treatment the thermal analysis method - Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), measurements of electrical conductivity and microstructural observations were conducted. Selected variants of heat treatment for optimal parameters determined in the study were realized and tensile tests were performed. The highest values of R_m were achieved after RRA (200°C/20 min) heat treatment and higher values for alloy with a higher content of copper were obtained. The results obtained in this study demonstrate the efficiency of the modification of the alloys’ microstructure by means of the RRA heat treatment, confirmed by the results of tensile tests and fracture surface observations. The results of DSC studies of material after various stages of the planned heat treatments may provide a starting point to study the mechanism of the associated phase transformations and can serve as inspiration for further research on the as-cast AlZnMgCu alloys.

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