The Phase Composition and Mechanical Properties of the Novel Precipitation-Strengthening Al-Cu-Er-Mn-Zr Alloy
С. М. Амер, O. A. Yakovtseva, И. С. Логинова, Светлана Валентиновна Медведева, A. S. Prosviryakov, А. И. Базлов, R. Yu. Barkov, А. В. Поздняков
Abstract
The microstructure, phase composition, and mechanical properties during heat treatment and rolling of the novel Al-5.0Cu-3.2Er-0.9Mn-0.3Zr alloy were evaluated. A new quaternary (Al,Cu,Mn,Er) phase with possible composition Al25Cu4Mn2Er was found in the as-cast alloy. Al20Cu2Mn3 and Al3(Zr,Er) phases were nucleated during homogenization, and θ″(Al2Cu) precipitates were nucleated during aging. The metastable disc shaped θ″(Al2Cu) precipitates with a thickness of 5 nm and diameter of 100–200 nm were nucleated mostly on the Al3(Zr,Er) phase precipitates with a diameter of 35 nm. The hardness Vickers (HV) peak was found after the annealing of a rolled alloy at 150 °C due to strengthening by θ″(A2Cu) precipitates, which have a larger effect in materials hardness than do the softening processes. The novel Al-Cu-Er-Mn-Zr alloy has a yield strength (YS) of 320–332 MPa, an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 360–370 MPa, and an El. of 3.2–4.0% in the annealed alloy after rolling condition.