Metals (Jan 2022)

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties at Elevated Temperature of Powder Metallurgy Al-Zn-Mg-Cu Alloy Subjected to Hot Extrusion

  • Weihao Han,
  • Yang Li,
  • Pei Li,
  • Guoping Su,
  • Chenzeng Zhang,
  • Chunfang Sun,
  • Cunguang Chen,
  • Fang Yang,
  • Zhimeng Guo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/met12020259
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 2
p. 259

Abstract

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In this work, Al-Zn-Mg-Cu powders containing 0.15 and 0.33 wt % oxygen were utilized to prepare high-strength aluminum alloys through the process of cold isostatic pressing, sintering, hot extrusion, and heat treatment. Microstructural and mechanical properties at elevated temperatures of 250, 350, and 450 °C were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-temperature tensile tests. Results showed that the tensile strengths of the obtained Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys with 0.15 wt % oxygen were 185, 46, and 18 MPa at 250, 350, and 450 °C, respectively. When the oxygen content of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy rose to 0.33 wt %, the tensile strengths at the corresponding temperature reached up to 205, 68, and 25 MPa, respectively. The excellent high-temperature performance could be attributed to double hindrance to dislocation motion and grain boundary migration by a large amount of nano γ-Al2O3 created by the in-creased oxygen, thereby resulting in fine grains even at high temperatures.

Keywords