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Correlating Hardness Retention and Phase Transformations of Al and Mg Cast Alloys for Aerospace Applications

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Abstract

The methodology based on correlating hardness and phase transformations was developed and applied to determine the maximum temperature of hardness retention of selected Al-based and Mg-based alloys for aerospace applications. The Al alloys: A356, F357, and C355 experienced 34-66% reduction of the initial hardness, in comparison to 4-22% hardness reduction observed in Mg alloys: QE22A, EV31A, ZE41A, and WE43B after the same annealing to 450 °C. For Al alloys the hardness reduction showed a steep transition between 220 and 238 °C. In contrast, Mg alloys showed a gradual hardness decrease occurring at somewhat higher temperatures between 238 and 250 °C. The hardness data were correlated with corresponding phase transformation kinetics examined by dilatometer and electrical resistivity measurements. Although Mg alloys preserved hardness to higher temperatures, their room temperature tensile strength and hardness were lower than Al alloys. The experimental methodology used in the present studies appears to be very useful in evaluating the softening temperature of commercial Al- and Mg-based alloys, permitting to assess their suitability for high-temperature applications.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support of the Materials for Energy End Use in Transformation Program of Natural Resources Canada is gratefully acknowledged. The authors thank also Marta Aniolek M.Sc. Eng. and Renata Zavadil from CanmetMATERIALS for dilatometer, thermal, and metallographic analysis, Ibrahim Sadiq and Mubashir Mir from the University of Waterloo as well as Pushan Lele from Ryerson University for graphical data representation and literature studies. The authors thank also G. Marzano from Magellan Aerospace Company by providing testing material.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CanmetMATERIALS, Natural Resources Canada, 183 Longwood South St., Hamilton, ON, Canada

    W. Kasprzak & F. Czerwinski

  2. McMaster University, 1280 Main St. West, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    M. Niewczas

  3. Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, Canada

    D. L. Chen

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  1. W. Kasprzak
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  2. F. Czerwinski
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  3. M. Niewczas
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  4. D. L. Chen
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Correspondence to W. Kasprzak.

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Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Natural Resources, 2014.

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Kasprzak, W., Czerwinski, F., Niewczas, M. et al. Correlating Hardness Retention and Phase Transformations of Al and Mg Cast Alloys for Aerospace Applications. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 24, 1365–1378 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-015-1392-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-015-1392-6

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