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Abstract
This thesis systematically investigates the effects of a recently developed modified ageing procedure of aluminium alloys, termed the T6I6 temper, on the microstructural development and mechanical properties of the Al Mg Si - Cu alloy 6061. For the T6I6 temper, a conventional single stage T6 temper is interrupted by an ageing period at a reduced temperature (65ºC) to facilitate secondary precipitation, before resuming the final ageing at the temperature of the initial T6 treatment. The T6I6 temper was found to cause simultaneous increases in tensile properties, hardness, and toughness as compared with 6061 T6.
Al Mg Si Cu alloys are medium strength alloys widely used in the automotive industry and their further improvement is underpinned by stringent demands for weight reduction placed on the transportation industry in recent years. The potential for further improvement of the mechanical properties was found in the control of secondary precipitation that may take place even in some fully aged alloys when exposed to reduced temperatures.
The overall improvement in the mechanical properties of 6061 T6I6 was attributed to the formation of finer and more densely dispersed precipitates in the final microstructure. The refinement of precipitates was facilitated by control of the precipitation processes and gradual evolution of the microstructure throughout each stage of the T6I6 treatment. The results indicated that the concentration and the chemical environment of the vacancies controlled the precipitation processes in this alloy. Findings also show that the proportion of the different precipitate phases present in the final microstructure, as well as the amount of the solute in these precipitates, can be controlled and modified utilizing secondary precipitation.
A number of analytical techniques were used in this study. The evolution of the microstructure was studied using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), High Resolution TEM (HRTEM) and Three Dimensional Atom Probe (3DAP). Vacancy-solute interactions were studied using Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS) and 3DAP. The distribution of the solute was studied using 3DAP and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was used to identify precipitation reactions and to determine the stability of vacancy-associated aggregates.