Effect of Hot Deformation and Heat Treatment on the Microstructure and Properties of Spray-Formed Al-Zn-Mg-Cu Alloys

Abstract

Spray forming is a manufacturing process that enables the production of high-performance metallic materials with exceptional properties. Due to its rapid solidification nature, spray forming can produce materials that exhibit fine, uniform, and equiaxed microstructures, with low micro-segregation, high solubility, and excellent workability. Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys have been widely used in the aerospace field due to their excellent properties, i.e., high strength, low density, and outstanding machinability. The alloy manufactured by spray forming has a combination of better impact properties and higher specific strength, due to its higher cooling rate, higher solute concentration, and lower segregation. In this manuscript, the recent development of spray-formed Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys is briefly reviewed. The influence of hot working, i.e., hot extrusion, hot forging, and hot rolling, as well as different heat treatments on the property and microstructure of spray-formed Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys is introduced. The second phases and their influence on the microstructure and mechanical properties are summarized. Finally, the potential in high-temperature applications and future prospects of spray-formed aluminum alloys are discussed.