Abstract
The influences of cold rolling and subsequent heat treatment on the microstructure evolution of 2524 alloy were investigated using an orientation distribution function (ODF) and electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD). A preparation method of 2524-T3 aluminum alloy with a strong Brass texture was developed, and its effect on the fatigue properties of the alloy was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that with the increase in cold rolling deformation from 0% to 80%, the volume fractions of Brass, copper, and S textures in the 2524-T3 alloy also increase, especially in the case of Brass and S textures. However, the volume fractions of cube and Goss textures are reduced significantly, especially for cube textures, which are decreased by 57.4%. Reducing coarse second-phase particles (CSPs) is conducive to the formation of a strong deformation texture during cold rolling. A 10% deformation at each rolling pass, followed by a step annealing, helps the preservation of a Brass texture even after solution treatment at 500 °C for 0.5 h, while a large cold deformation followed by high-temperature annealing helps the formation of a strong cube texture. The Brass texture can enhance the strength while decreasing the fatigue crack growth resistance of this alloy.
Highlights
Optical microscopy (OM) samples were prepared in a standard procedure and etched in a solution consisting of HF (2 mL), HCl (3 mL), HNO3 (5 mL), and H2 O (200 mL) for 15 s, and were observed using an MR5000 inverted optical microscope
The electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD)-derived inverse pole-figure (IPF) maps of the as-hot-rolled sample in Figure 1a identify the orientation of grains using different colors
The grains of the as-hotrolled plate are significantly elongated along the rolling direction (RD), for which the grain aspect ratio is found to be 5.56
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. High-purity raw materials are used for high damage-tolerant aluminum alloys to minimize the adverse effects of inclusions; purifying raw materials will increase their cost, and the efficacy thereof diminishes once the purity reaches a certain level [8] Regarding precipitates, those formed during artificial aging can improve the mechanical properties of age-hardened aluminum alloys and can thereby inhibit fatigue crack initiation. Many studies have proved that an increase in grain size would decrease the fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) of an alloy, especially at a low stress intensity factor range (∆K) [13] Based on this analysis, there are certain limits to this method of controlling microstructures such as inclusions, precipitates, and grain size to enhance the fatigue growth resistance of aluminum alloys. The effects of this Brass texture on the fatigue crack propagation behavior of alloy were assessed by the use of an orientation distribution function (ODF), electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscope (TEM)
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