Thixoforming of EN AW-2014 alloy at high solid fraction

Abstract

EN AW-2014 extruded alloy slugs were thixoformed at 615 °C where the solid fraction is estimated to be 80%. The recrystallization process occurred during heating to the thixoforming temperature, between 550 °C and 600 °C, well above the solidus temperature owing to the pinning of grain boundaries by Al 2Cu precipitates. The equiaxed polygonal grains thus obtained have become increasingly globular upon soaking. Si was enriched in the grain boundaries during soaking while the solid solution matrix was gradually depleted off Cu. The grain boundary composition has moved closer to that of the Al–Cu–Si ternary eutectic with a lower melting point than the binary Al–Cu eutectic, facilitating grain boundary melting. The liquid phase has then penetrated between the grains, forming a more or less continous intergranular network. Microstructural features essential for forming in the semi-solid state were obtained after about 10 min at 615 °C. The subsequent forming process has occurred in the semi-solid state with no evidence of grain deformation. The thixoformed EN AW-2014 part was solutionized at 500 °C for 2 h and was subsequently quenched in water. Artificial ageing at 160 °C has produced hardness values as high as 160 HV after only 8 h. It is concluded that the high strength wrought EN AW-2014 alloy feedstock processed by the RAP route respond to a thixoforming operation in a very favorable fashion.