Investigation into the Fabrication Possibility of the Boron–Aluminum Sheet Rolling of Increased Strength without Using Homogenization and Quenching

Abstract

Al–Cu–Mn (Zr) aluminum alloys possess high strength and manufacturability without operations of thermal treatment (TT). In order to investigate the fabrication possibility of the aluminum boron-containing alloy in the form of sheet rolling with an increased strength without TT, Al–2% Cu–1.5% Mn–2% B and Al–2% Cu–1.5% Mn–0.4% Zr–2% B alloys are prepared. To exclude the precipitation of refractory boride particles, smelting is performed in a RELTEK induction furnace providing intense melt stirring. The smelting temperature is 950–1000°C. Pouring is performed into graphite molds 40 × 120 × 200 mm in size. It is established using computational methods (Thermo-Calc) that manganese forms complex borides with aluminum and zirconium at the smelting temperature; herewith, a sufficient amount of manganese remains in liquid, while zirconium is almost absent. The formation of AlB2Mn2 complex boride is proven; however, the amount of manganese remaining in the solid solution is sufficient to form the particles of the Al20Cu2Mn3 phase in amounts of up to 7 wt %. Boron stimulates the isolation of Al3Zr primary crystals in the alloy with zirconium; in connection with this, an amount of zirconium insufficient for hardening remains in the aluminum solid solution. The possibility of fabricating thin-sheet rolling with a thickness smaller than 0.3 mm with homogeneously distributed accumulations of the boride phase with a particle size smaller than 10 μm is shown. A high strength level (up to 543 MPa) is attained without using quenching and aging due to the precipitation of dispersoids of the Al20Cu2Mn3 phase during hot deformation (t = 450°C).