First-principle Calculations of Mechanical Properties of Al₂Cu, Al₂CuMg and MgZn₂ Intermetallics in High Strength Aluminum Alloys

Abstract

Structural stabilities, mechanical properties and electronic structures of Al2Cu, Al2CuMg and MgZn2 intermetallics in Al-Zn-Mg-Cu aluminum alloys were determined from the first-principle calculations by VASP based on the density functional theory. The results show that the cohesive energy (Ecoh) decreases in the order MgZn2 > Al2CuMg > Al2Cu, whereas the formation enthalpy (ΔH) decreases in the order MgZn2 > Al2Cu > Al2CuMg. Al2Cu can act as a strengthening phase for its ductile and high Young's modulus. The Al2CuMg phase exhibits elastic anisotropy and may act as a crack initiation point. MgZn2 has good plasticity and low melting point, which is the main strengthening phase in the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu aluminum alloys. Metallic bonding mode coexists with a fractional ionic interaction in Al2Cu, Al2CuMg and MgZn2, and that improves the structural stability. In order to improve the alloys' performance further, the generation of MgZn2 phase should be promoted by increasing Zn content while Mg and Cu contents are decreased properly.

Keywords

• high strength aluminum alloy
• intermetallics
• first-principles
• mechanical properties