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The Influence of Si and Mg Content on the Microstructure, Tensile Ductility, and Stretch Formability of 6xxx Alloys

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Abstract

In this study, the effect of Si and Mg content on the microstructure, tensile ductility, and stretch formability of naturally aged Al-Mg-Si alloys has been investigated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, tensile testing, forming limit diagram tests, and various modeling approaches. The results show that by raising the Si content in the alloy, the tensile ductility and stretch formability can be improved. By contrast, increasing the Mg content in the alloy has little influence on the tensile ductility and stretch formability. The results are discussed in terms of the effects of microstructural features such as solutes, clusters, and dispersoids on the work-hardening and strain rate-hardening behavior of the materials. Furthermore, thermodynamic modeling is employed to predict microstructures that could improve the stretch formability of the high Mg content alloy.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Aluminum Corporation of China Ltd. (Chalco) for supporting this work financially and for providing materials through the Australia-China International Centre for Light Alloys Research (ICLAR). Seminal input of Professor Barry Muddle in alloy selection and useful discussions with him are gratefully acknowledged. Thanks is due to Dr. John Taylor at the University of Queensland for his help with thermodynamic modeling. Dr. Matthias Weiss at Deakin University is acknowledged for assistance with the forming limit tests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ARC Centre of Excellence for Design in Light Metals, Department of Materials Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia

    Hao Zhong (PhD Student) & Paul A. Rometsch (Senior Research Staff)

  2. Centre for Advanced Hybrid Materials, Department of Materials Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia

    Yuri Estrin (Director)

Authors
  1. Hao Zhong
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  2. Paul A. Rometsch
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  3. Yuri Estrin
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Correspondence to Hao Zhong.

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Manuscript submitted November 7, 2012.

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Zhong, H., Rometsch, P.A. & Estrin, Y. The Influence of Si and Mg Content on the Microstructure, Tensile Ductility, and Stretch Formability of 6xxx Alloys. Metall Mater Trans A 44, 3970–3983 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-013-1740-9

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