The influence of compositional and microstructural variations on the mechanism of static fracture in aluminum alloys

Abstract

The object of the paper is to examine the effects of alloy purity and state of aging on the fracture mechanism and resultant toughness of pure Al-Cu alloys, and commercial duralumin. In pure alloys, the transition from a shear to an intergranular mode of fracture with overaging is associated with changes in the nature and size of the matrix precipitate, which affect the slip character. In the corresponding commercial purity alloys, no such fracture mode transition occurs. The presence of second-phase dispersoids inhibits planar slip, and in the overaged state inclusion-matrix interfaces present a suitable alternative site to the grain boundaries for strain accumulation, resulting in debonding leading to the initiation of voids, which subsequently grow and coalesce. The fracture toughness, as conventionally measured, indicates the material’s resistance to crack initiation rather than propagation and is effectively independent of fracture mode. The work hardening capacity has a marked effect on void size, and is shown to be a sensitive indicator of fracture toughness in both pure and commercial alloys. Based on a simple model, good agreement is obtained between experimental results of toughness and those predicted from a knowledge of the tensile properties.