Low-cycle fatigue behavior of extruded Al-7Zn-2Mg-1.5Cu-0.2Sc-0.1Zr alloy at room and low temperatures

Abstract

Due to the low density and high specific strength, aluminum alloys have been considered for automotive and aerospace applications. The aluminum components usually service in the conditions of low temperature and dynamic loading. Therefore, the research on the low temperature fatigue performances of Al alloys has great significance. The lowcycle fatigue tests for the extruded Al-7Zn-2Mg-1.5Cu-0.2Sc-0.1Zr alloy subjected to solution plus aging treatment have been conducted at 25°C and -40°C, respectively. The strain ratio and cyclic frequency applied in the low-cycle fatigue test were -1 and 0.5Hz, respectively. The experimental results show that at 25°C, the alloy exhibits the cyclic hardening at the total strain amplitudes of 1.0% and 1.2%, and the cyclic stabilization at the total strain amplitudes of 0.4%, 0.6% and 0.8%. At -40°C, however, the cyclic stability is observed during whole fatigue deformation at the total strain amplitudes of 0.4%, 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.7% and 0.8%. The relationship between the elastic strain amplitude, plastic strain amplitude and reversals to failure can be described by Basquin and Coffin-Manson equations, respectively. In addition, the observation results of fatigue fracture surfaces reveal that the cracks initiate at the free surface of fatigue specimen and propagate in a transgranular mode.