Effects of Solution Treatment on the Microstructure and Properties of 7003 Aluminum Alloy

Abstract

The microstructure and properties of 7003 aluminum alloy before and after aging under various solid solution treatment parameters have been studied by electronic tensile machine, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS). It’s showed that the strength decreased while the ductility increased with raising the solid solution temperature before aging; the strength decreased and then increased while the ductility increased and then decreased with increasing the solid solution time. The strength of 7003 aluminum alloy after aging were evidently higher than those before aging, and the samples solutioned at 743 K for 70 min were of the best mechanical properties with YS=286 MPa, UTS=345 MPa, E=15.5%, which are higher than those of the original alloy by 2.1%, 1.5% and 29.1% respectively. Hence 743 K/70 min is one of the best solid solution regimes.