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Phases and microstructures of high Zn-containing Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloys

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Abstract

Phases and microstructures of three high Zn-containing Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloys were investigated by means of thermodynamic calculation method, optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. The results indicate that similar dendritic network morphologies are found in these three Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloys. The as-cast 7056 aluminum alloy consists of aluminum solid solution, coarse Al/Mg(Cu, Zn, Al)2 eutectic phases, and fine intermetallic compounds η(MgZn2). Both of as-cast 7095 and 7136 aluminum alloys involve α(Al), eutectic Al/Mg(Cu, Zn, Al)2, intermetallic η(MgZn2), and θ(Al2Cu). During homogenization at 450 °C, fine η(MgZn2) can dissolve into matrix absolutely. After homogenization at 450 °C for 24 h, Mg(Cu, Zn, Al)2 phase in 7136 alloy transforms into S(Al2CuMg) while no change is found in 7056 and 7095 alloys. The thermodynamic calculation can be used to predict the phases in high Zn-containing Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloys.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the National Program on Key Basic Research Project of China (No. 2012CB619504), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51271037), and the International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Projects (No. 2010DFB50340)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Nonferrous Metals and Process, General Research Institute for Nonferrous Metals, Beijing, 100088, China

    Jun-Tao Liu, Yong-An Zhang, Xi-Wu Li, Zhi-Hui Li & Bai-Qing Xiong

  2. State Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials, University of Science and Technology, Beijing, 10083, China

    Jun-Tao Liu & Ji-Shan Zhang

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  1. Jun-Tao Liu
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Correspondence to Jun-Tao Liu.

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Liu, JT., Zhang, YA., Li, XW. et al. Phases and microstructures of high Zn-containing Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloys. Rare Met. 35, 380–384 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-014-0222-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-014-0222-6

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