ESTUDO DA LAMINAÇÃO CRIOGÊNICA E DO ENVELHECIMENTO NATURAL NA LIGA AA7050: MICROESTRUTURA E PROPRIEDADES

Abstract

The emphasis of this work was to characterize the mechanical properties of aluminum alloy AA7050 subjected to cryogenic rolling and natural aging. Samples of aluminum alloy AA7050 were cryogenically rolled in four degrees of effective strain: = 0,5, = 0,9,= 1,1 and = 1,4. For each degree of deformation, the samples were naturally aged for 0 hours, 10 hours, 100 hours and 1000 hours. The analysis of the kinetics of natural aging indicated with 10 hours was achieved transform a fraction of 50%, which shows that the rate of transformation in this alloy was relatively high, requiring low energy of activation to occur. The calculated Avrami exponent was equal to 0,828 indicating that precipitation occurs in dislocations. By means of metallographic analysis evidenced a microstructural refinement, which was more intense for higher degrees of deformation. Mechanical properties were evaluated by Vickers microhardness measurements and tensile testing. The sample without deformation the hardness increase 30% in 10 hours of natural aging, reaching a stabilization from 1000 hours. For the deformed samples had an average increase in hardness from 80% after 1000 hours regardless of the degree of deformation. There was a competition between the static recovery and precipitation in the early hours of natural aging for samples more deformed (= 1,1 and = 1,4). The results also indicate that for higher degrees of deformation (= 1,1 and = 1,4) the natural aging did not affect the mechanical properties under tension significantly. On the other hand, for lower degrees of reduction, increased mechanical strength was more significant. For the initial sample, the yield strength increased 153% with 1000 hours of natural aging. A sample of ε = 0,5 and 1000 hours presented a 323% yield strength greater than as-quench sample. Furthermore, regarding all samples deformed, this condition had the highest total elongation (15%), representing an optimal combination of deformation and thermal treatment. The images of electron microscopy of the fracture surfaces revealed the occurrence of ductile fracture primarily, with plenty of dimples, for all conditions. Thermal analysis (DSC) results confirmed the high volume fraction of GP zones and η’ phase, formed in natural aging. Moreover, the deformation changed the form of DSC curves, especially at a temperature of precipitation of η' due to the increase of sites for nucleation. The EDS microanalysis, both particles in the fracture surface when the dissolved material for extraction of precipitates indicated the elements forming the phases MgZn2, Al2CuMg, Al2Cu, Al2Zn3Mg3, Mg2Si, and Al7Cu2Fe AlZnMgCu. The x-ray diffraction indicate a crystallographic texture for lower degree of reduction in the direction [110], which was associated with bimodal distribution of grain size.