Influence of Si Addition on Quenching Sensitivity and Formation of Nano-Precipitate in Al-Mg-Si Alloys

J Nanosci Nanotechnol. 2016 Feb;16(2):1814-7. doi: 10.1166/jnn.2016.11955.

Abstract

The age-hardening is enhanced with the high cooling rate since more vacancies are formed during quenching, whereas the stable beta phase is formed with the slow cooling rate just after solid solution treatment resulting in lower increase of hardness during aging. Meanwhile, the nanoclusters are formed during natural aging in Al-Mg-Si alloys. The formation of nanoclusters is enhanced with increasing the Si amount. High quench sensitivity based on mechanical property changes was confirmed with increasing the Si amount. Moreover, the nano-size beta" phase, main hardening phase, is more formed by the Si addition resulting in enhancement of the age-hardening. The quench sensitivity and the formation behavior of precipitates are discussed based on the age-hardening phenomena.