EBT211

PHYSICAL METALLURGY
Non-Ferrous Metals
Aluminium and its Alloys

Physical Properties

Density : 2.7 g/cm3

FCC (a = b = c = 404.95 pm)
Melting point : 660 C
Boiling point : 2519 C
Good electrical and thermal conductivity
Resistant to corrosion in some common
environments
Nontoxic

Solubility
S o l u b i l i t y o f e of
l e m elements
e n t s i n a l u m i n in
i u m Al
Mg, Cu, Zn and Si
are the most
M g , C u , Z n a n d S i a re th e
m commonly
o s t c o m m o n l y uused
s e d a llo y in g
e l ealloying
m e n t s i n a elements
l u m i n i u m , w h iin
ch
h a aluminium,
v e s u f f i c i e n t s o l iwhich
d s o lu b ility .
Chave
r , M n asufficient
n d Z r a r e u s esolid
d
p r solubility.
im a r ily to fo r m c o m p o u n d s
i c h cMn
o n t r oand
l g r a i Zr
n s t rare
u c tu re .
w hCr,
used primarily to
form compounds
which control grain
structure.
S u r a n a r e e U n iv e r s ity o f T e c h n o lo g y

Tapany U dom phol

M a y -A u g

200

Designation
Wrought Alloys
1xx
x

Commercially pure
Not aged
Al (>99% Al)

2xx
x

Al-Cu

Age
hardenable

3xx
x

Al-Mn

Not aged

Al-Si and Al-Mg-Si

Age
hardenable
if Mg is
present

4xx
x

Food/chemical handling &

storage equipment, heat
exchanger, light reflector
Aircraft structures, rivets,
truck wheels, screw
machining products
Cooking utensils, pressure
vessels and piping

5xx
x

Al-Mg

Not aged

Aircraft fuel & oil lines, fuel

tanks, appliances, rivets and
wires

6xx
x

Al-Mg-Si

Age
hardenable

Trucks, canoes, railroad

cars, furniture, pipelines

Casting Alloys
1xx.x

Commercially pure
Not aged
Al (<99%Al)

2xx.x Al-Cu

3xx.x

Al-Si-Cu or Al-MgSi

Age
hardenable

Flywheel and rear-axle

housings, bus and aircraft
wheels, crankcases

Some are age

hardenable

Aircraft pump parts,

automotive transmission
cases, water-cooled
cylinder blocks

4xx.x Al-Si

Not aged

5xx.x Al-Mg

Not aged

7xx.x Al-Mg-Zn

Age
hardenable

8xx.x Al-Sn

Age
hardenable

Temper Designation
H Strain Hardened (Cold worked)
H1x

Strain hardened only. The degree of strain hardening is

indicated by the x and varies from quarter-hard (H12) to fullhard, which is produced with approximately 75% reduction in
area.

H2x

Strain hardened and partially annealed. Tempers ranging from

quarter-hard to full-hard obtained by partial annealing of coldworked material with strengths initially greater than desired.
Tempers are H22, H24, H26 and H28.

H3x

Strain hardened and stabilized. Tempers for age-softening AlMg alloys that are strain-hardened and then heated at a low
temperature to increase ductility and stabilized mechanical
properties.

F As fabricated (hot worked, forged, cast, etc.). No control

over the amount of strain hardening; no mechanical property
limits.
O Annealed and recrystallized (in the softest possible

T Age Hardened (Heat-Treated)

T1

Cooled from the fabrication temperature and naturally aged

T2

Cooled from the fabrication temperature, cold worked, and

naturally aged

T3

Solution-treated, cold-worked, and naturally aged

T4

Solution-treated and naturally aged

T5

Cooled from the fabrication temperature and artificially aged

T6

Solution-treated and artificially aged

T7

Solution-treated and stabilized by overaging

T8

Solution-treated, cold-worked and artificially aged

T9

Solution-treated, artificially aged and cold-worked

T10

Cooled from the fabrication temperature, cold-worked and

artificially aged

 Group into two based on the method

of fabrication:
Wrought alloys
Casting alloys

Heat treatable alloys are aged

hardened
Non heat treatable alloys are
strengthened by solid solution
strengthening, strain hardening, or
dispersion hardening.

Non-heat Treatable Wrought Alloys

The 1xxx, 3xxx, 5xxx and most of
the 4xxx alloys
The 1xxx and 3xxx are single phase
alloys except for the presence of
small amounts of inclusions or
intermetallic compounds
The properties are controlled by
strain hardening, solid solution
strengthening and grain size control

 The 5xxx alloys contain two phases

at room temperature: (solid
solution of Mg in Al) and Mg2Al3 (a
hard brittle intermetallic compound)
These alloys are strengthened by a
fine dispersion of Mg2Al3 as well as by
strain hardening, solid solution
strengthening and grain size control.

 The 4xxx alloys contain two phases,

and nearly pure Si, .
Alloys contain both Si and Mg can be
age hardened by permitting Mg2Si to
precipitate.

Age Hardenable Wrought

Alloys
The 2xxx, 6xxx and 7xxx
In each alloy, several coherent precipitates
form before the final equilibrium phase is
produced
2xxx : ss >> +GP-I >> +GP-II >> + >>
+
6xxx : ss >> +GP zones >> + (Mg2Si) >>
+ (Mg2Si)
7xxx : ss >> +GP zones >> + (MgZn 2) >>
+ (MgZn2)

What is GP-I zones?

Guinier-Preston (GP) found this zone.
GP-I zones are formed at lower
ageing temp.
Cu atoms segregate in the ss
Disk shape with 0.4 0.6 nm thick
and 8 10 nm in diameter
Form on {100} cubic planes of the
matrix

GP-II zones
Tetragonal structure
Coherent with the {100} of the matrix
1 4 nm thick and 10 100 nm in
diameter

phase
Nucleates heterogeneously, especially on
dislocations
Incoherent in the matrix
Tetragonal structure with a thickness of
10 to 150 nm

 phase
Incoherent in the matrix and has the
composition CuAl2
BCT structure (a = 0.607 nm, c =
0.487 nm)

Precipitation Strengthening of Al2xxx

Heat treatment
sequence for the
precipitation
hardening of Al-4%Cu:
Solution heat
treatment at about
515C
Quenching
Artificial ageing in the
130 to 190 C range

p u r ity b in a r y a lu m

Solid Solution Strengthening

Can be obtained by
adding Cu, Mn and Mg.
Mn and Cu are the most
effective strengtheners
at 0.5%, but tend to form
Al6Mn precipitates and
insoluble Al-Cu-Fe
constituents respectively.
Mg is the most effective
strengthener on the
weight basis due to its
high solubility.

N o t e : Z in c h a s h ig h s o lu b ilit y b u