Effects of Trace Sc and Zr Additions on Recrystallization Behavior and Mechanical Properties of Cold-Rolled 1235 Aluminum Alloy
摘要
The study investigated the relationship between Al3(Sc,Zr) and the mechanical properties as well as thermal stability in 1235-Sc-Zr aluminum alloy. The microstructure was characterized using polarized light microscopy (PLM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and tensile tests were conducted. The results indicate that the addition of Sc and Zr significantly enhances both the strength and elongation of the 1235-Sc-Zr aluminum alloy, with ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and yield strength increasing by 18.4 and 16.5%, respectively, and elongation improving by 42.8%. This strengthening effect is attributed to the Orowan strengthening mechanism induced by Al3(Sc,Zr) in the alloy. The thermal stability results reveal that the 1235 aluminum alloy completely softens and fully recrystallized at approximately 280 °C, while the 1235-Sc-Zr alloy exhibits a slow decline in its softening curve that stabilizes around 500 °C, with its recrystallization temperature elevated to about 500 °C. This demonstrates that the addition of Sc and Zr significantly enhances the recrystallization resistance of the 1235-Sc-Zr alloy. The key mechanism lies in the fine, small, and coherent Al3(Sc,Zr) present in the 1235 aluminum alloy, which powerfully pin dislocations and subgrain boundaries. These second phase effectively blocks the rearrangement of dislocations into subgrain boundaries and prevents their transformation from low-angle to high-angle grain boundaries, thereby inhibiting the nucleation of recrystallization in the alloy.