Influence of Combined Loading on Microstructure and Properties of Aluminum Alloy 2024-T3

Abstract

The article gives results of the experimental study of mechanical properties and structure of the fractured specimens of multiphase aluminum-base alloy 2024-T3, which were deformed under the dynamic tension conditions. The study shows that the impact in an elastic region leads to an insignificant non-stationary deformation (i.e., deformation in the impact application process) and an insignificant weakening of the material, whereas in the presence of the appreciable plastic deformation before the impact the non-stationary deformation increases more than by an order of magnitude, and a marked weakening takes place. The effects observed are related to the synergy of structure under non-stationary loading. It was concluded that self-organization of the crystalline structure defects in the form of hydrodynamic flow channels, leading to increase in ductility and weakening, may occur only under the nonlinear (plastic) deformation conditions. In the elastic region, the synergic structure formation is limited only to a change of phase composition of the alloy, which may lead to premature fracture of the material under subsequent static deformation. This makes it impossible to predict durability of the material at a probability of uncontrollable load surges. Statistical examination of structure of the fractured specimens revealed the presence of the relaxation structure in the form of recrystallized grains of different sizes, characterized by the presence of scale invariance (scaling). As shown by the grain size analysis, the process of coarsening of the recrystallized grains under dynamic loading and fracture is controlled by some cooperative process related to the atomic and probably electronic structure of the deformed material.