Effect of Cu on the fracture and exfoliation corrosion behavior of Al-Zn-Mg-xCu alloy

Abstract

In the present work, the influence of Cu content on microstructure, mechanical properties and exfoliation corrosion behaviors of Al-Zn-Mg-xCu alloy extrusions has been investigated in longitudinal-transverse (L-T) and short-longitudinal (S-L) directions by means of mechanical tensile and exfoliation corrosion testing combined with optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that a higher Cu content significantly decreased the fracture toughness and ductility of the alloy in S-L direction compared with L-T direction. Concomitant with the increase in Cu content, a transition in fracture mode was observed from transgranular dimpled rupture to intergranular rupture in S-L direction. Moreover, the exfoliation corrosion (EXCO) resistance of the alloy decreased as the Cu content increased and the exfoliation corrosion resistance of the alloy in short-transverse (S-T) direction was better than that of L-T direction. These results were mainly associated with the large number of coarse intermetallics caused by high Cu content in the L-T direction of alloy.