Mechanical, Tribological, and Corrosion Behavior of AA5083 Alloy with 0.5 wt.% Sm Processed by Multi-axial Forging
摘要
The increasing demand for lightweight structural materials has encouraged efforts to improve aluminum alloys through microalloying and thermomechanical processing. This study examines the combined effect of samarium (Sm) addition and multi-axial forging (MAF) on the microstructure, mechanical properties, wear behavior, and corrosion performance of AA5083 alloy. An AA5083 alloy containing 0.5 wt.% Sm was produced by adding samarium to the molten alloy followed by direct casting. The cast alloy was solution treated at 475 °C for 12 h and subsequently processed by MAF at room temperature, with an equivalent strain of 0.63 applied per forging cycle. Microstructural evolution was characterized using x-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Mechanical properties were evaluated through Vickers microhardness measurements and uniaxial tensile testing, while wear and corrosion tests were conducted on solution-treated and MAF-processed samples. The results showed pronounced grain refinement with increasing MAF cycles, leading to significant improvements in mechanical performance. After two MAF cycles, the alloy exhibited a maximum hardness of 127 HV and an ultimate tensile strength of 329 MPa. Tribological evaluation revealed enhanced wear resistance with increasing deformation, with the lowest wear volume loss observed after the second MAF cycle. The specific wear rates measured under applied loads of 1, 2, and 4 N were 2.0 × 10−3, 2.6 × 10−3, and 1.7 × 10−3 mm3 N−1 m−1, respectively, corresponding to wear losses of 16 × 107, 30 × 107, and 38 × 107 µm3. Overall, Sm addition combined with MAF processing proved effective in enhancing the performance of AA5083 alloy.