Improvement of mechanical properties of a nanoaluminium alloy by precipitate strengthening

Abstract

In the present study, severe plastic deformation (SPD) processing was combined with pre- and post processing heat treatment to investigate the possibility of synergic grain size and precipitation strengthening. Samples of 7475 alloy were solution heat treated and water quenched prior to hydrostatic extrusion (HE) which resulted in a grain refinement by 3 orders of magnitude, from 70 pm to about 70 nm. The extruded samples were subsequently aged at temperatures resulting in formation of nanoprecipitates.