Abstract
6xxx series aluminum alloy is one of the ideal automotive lighting materials for its high strength, excellent formability, good corrosion resistance, and weldability. In this paper, the effect of pre-aging technology on microstructure and properties of 6111 aluminum alloy was investigated by using TEM, tensile, and Erichsen test. The results showed that better properties of 6111 alloy could be obtained through 140 °C/10 min pre-aging treatment within 30 min after solution treatment (named T4P treatment). The n, r, IE, and yield strength values of 6111-T4 alloy were 0.31, 0.62, 8.06 mm, and 149 MPa, respectively, while those of 6111-T4P alloy were 0.33, 0.76, 8.45 mm, and 133 MPa, respectively. After simulated paint baking at 170 °C/30 min, the yield strength of 6111-T4 and 6111-T4P alloys increased to 154 and 212 MPa, respectively. Compared with T4 treatment, the pre-aging treatment reduced precipitating temperature of β″ phase and promoted precipitation during simulated paint baking. Pre-aging treatment benefits press forming of automotive body sheet and enables strengthening of the materials after simulated paint baking.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
M.A. van Huis, J.H. Chen, M.H.F. Sluiter, H.W. Zandbergen, Phase stability and structural features of matrix-embedded hardening precipitates in Al-Mg-Si alloys in the early stages of evolution. Acta Mater. 55, 2183–2199 (2007)
S. Pogatscher, H. Antrekowitsch, H. Leitner, T. Ebner, P.J. Uggowitzer, Mechanisms controlling the artificial aging of Al-Mg-Si alloys. Acta Mater. 59, 3352–3363 (2011)
C.S. Tsao, C.Y. Chen, U.S. Jeng, T.Y. Kuo, Precipitation kinectics and transformation of metastable phases in Al-Mg-Si alloys. Acta Mater. 54, 4621–4631 (2006)
W.C. Yang, L.P. Huang, R.R. Zhang, M.P. Wang, Z. Li, Y.L. Jia, R.S. Lei, X.F. Sheng, Electron microscopy studies of the age-hardening behaviors in 6005A alloys and microstructural characterizations of precipitstes. J. Alloys Compd. 514, 220–233 (2012)
G.A. Edwards, K. Stiller, G.L. Dunlop, M.J. Couper, The precipitation sequence in Al-Mg-Si alloys. Acta Mater. 46, 3893–3904 (1998)
W.F. Miao, D.E. Laughlin, Effects of Cu content and preaging on precipitation characteristics in aluminum alloy 6022. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 31, 361–371 (2000)
R. Prillhofer, G. Rank, J. Berneder, H. Antrekowitsch, P.J. Uggowitzer, S. Pogatscher, Property criteria for automotive Al-Mg-Si sheet alloys. Materials 7(7), 5047–5068 (2014)
L. Zhen, S.B. Kang, The effect of pre-aging on microstructure and tensile properties of Al-Mg-Si alloys. Scr. Mater 36, 1089–1094 (1997)
M. Torsæter, H.S. Hasting, W. Lefebvre, C.D. Marioara, J.C. Walmsley, S.J. Andersen, R. Holmestad, The influence of composition and natural aging on clustering during preaging in Al-Mg-Si alloys. J. Appl. Phy. 108, 0735527 (2010)
Y. Aruga, M. Kozuka, Y. Takaki, T. Sato, Evaluation of solute clusters associated with bake-hardening response in isothermal aged Al-Mg-Si alloys using a three-dimensional atom probe. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 45, 5906–5913 (2014)
Serizawa, S. Hirosawa, T. Sato, Three-dimensional atom probe characterization of nanoclusters responsible for multistep aging behavior of an Al-Mg-Si alloy. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 39, 243–251 (2008)
L. Zhen, S.B. Kang, DSC analyses of the precipitation behavior of two Al-Mg-Si alloys naturally aged for different times. Mater. Lett. 37, 349–353 (1998)
L.P. Ding, Y. He, Z. Wen, P.Z. Zhao, Z.H. Jia, Q. Liu, Optimization of the pre-aging treatment for an AA6022 alloy at various temperatures and holding times. J. Alloys Compd. 647, 238–244 (2015)
V.N. Grau, A. Cuniberti, A. Tolley, V.C. Riglos, M. Stipcich, Solute clustering behavior between 293 K and 373 K in a 6082 aluminum alloy. J. Alloys Compd. 684, 481–487 (2016)
R.K.W. Marceau, A. de Vaucorbeil, G. Sha, S.P. Ringer, W.J. Poole, Atom probe tomography and yield stress modelling. Acta Mater. 61, 7285–7303 (2013)
M.J. Starink, L.F. Cao, P.A. Rometsch, A model for the thermodynamics of and strengthening due to co-clusters in Al-Mg-Si-based alloy. Acta Mater. 60, 4194–4207 (2012)
F.A. Martinsen, F.J.H. Ehlers, M. Torsæter, R. Homestad, Reversal of the negative natural aging effect in Al-Mg-Si alloys. Acta Mater. 60, 6091–6101 (2012)
H. Li, W. Liu, Nanoprecipitates and their strengthening behavior in Al-Mg-Si alloy during the aging process. Metall. Materi. Trans A 48, 1990–1998 (2017)
S. Esmaeili, X. Wang, D.J. Lloyd, W.J. Poole, On the precipitation hardening behavior of the Al-Mg-Si-Cu alloy AA6111. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 34, 751–763 (2003)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this paper
Cite this paper
Liu, H. et al. (2019). Effect of Pre-aging Technology on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of 6111 Aluminum Alloy. In: Han, Y. (eds) Physics and Engineering of Metallic Materials. CMC 2018. Springer Proceedings in Physics, vol 217. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-5944-6_42
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-5944-6_42
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-13-5943-9
Online ISBN: 978-981-13-5944-6
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)