Reversion and re-aging of a peak aged Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy. (November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, Huan; Gault, Baptiste; Ponge, Dirk; Raabe, Dierk
• Is Part Of: Scripta materialia. Number 188(2020)
• Page Start: 269
• Page End: 273
• Publication Date: 2020-11
• Subjects: Al-Zn-Mg-Cu -- Precipitation -- Reversion and re-aging -- Grain boundary -- Atom probe tomography; Materials -- Periodicals; Metallurgy -- Periodicals; Metalen; Legeringen; Materiaalkunde; Metals, metalworking and machinery industries; Metals; Electronic journals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2020.07.049
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-6462

Abstract

Abstract: High-strength Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys are highly susceptible to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) which severely limits their lifetime. Reversion and re-aging (RRA) temper provides a higher SCC resistance at no loss in strength, yet the microstructural origins of these enhanced properties remain elusive. In an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy, we show that the fine precipitate dispersion in the grain interiors is similar in the peak aged and RRA tempers. However, upon RRA, precipitates inside the grains are enriched in Cu, lowering the Cu matrix content, and reducing the relative difference in the Cu precipitate composition between bulk and grain boundaries. This study enriches the current understanding on the critical role of Cu related to SCC resistance in Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys. Graphical abstract: Image, graphical abstract