Abstract
The main object of this study is to investigate the effect of friction stir processing (FSP) on the microstructure and hardness of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys that were produced via casting with the addition of 5 wt % nickel. Furthermore, a single-pass FSP with a rotational speed of 1500 rpm and a traveling speed of 40 mm/min was performed on the alloys. The FSP-treated cast alloys were homogenized, aged at 120°C for 24 h, retrogressed at 180°C for 30 min, and then re-aged at 120°C for 24 h. Microstructural evaluations via optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, as well as with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were conducted. In addition, X-ray diffraction analysis was performed to detect the intermetallics and phases of the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Ni alloys. Before FSP, the microstructural observations indicated the presence of coarse Ni dispersed particles with a precipitate phase within the matrix. After FSP treatment, the grain refinement led to the uniform space distribution of Ni dispersed particles in the stir zone. The Vickers hardness values for the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Ni alloy increased after age tempering at T6 and retrogression and re-aging (RRA) treatment because of the increased precipitation and particles dispersity. The hardness of the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Ni alloy was enhanced after FSP and a series of heat treatments, especially the RRA process, because of the stirring action of the FSP tool, the grain refinement, the appearance of additional precipitates, and the refinement of dispersed Ni particles.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
H. T. Naeem, K. S. Mohammed, K. R. Ahmed, and A. Rahmat, “A comparative study of additives of nickel, cobalt, in affecting the microstructures and mechanical properties of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys,” Pensee J.,76(3), 218–235 (2014).
H. T. Naeem, K. R. Ahmad, K. S. Mohammad, and A. Rahmat, “Evolution of the retrogression and reaging treatment on microstructure and properties of aluminum alloy (Al-Zn-Mg-Cu),” Adv. Mater. Res. 925, 258–262 (2014).
H. T. Naeem, K. S. Mohammad, K. R. Ahmad, and A. Rahmat, “The influence of nickel and tin additives on the microstructural and mechanical properties of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys,” Adv. Mater. Sci. Eng., 2014, Art. ID688474(2014).
P. Cavaliere, “Effect of friction stir processing on the fatigue properties of a Zr-modified2014aluminium alloy,” Mater. Charact., 57, 100–104, (2006).
Y. Gao, Y. Zhang, and X. Liu, “Influence of trace Ti on the microstructure, age hardening behavior, and mechanical properties of an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu–Zr alloy,” Mater. Sci. Eng., A 598, 293–298 (2014).
H. T. Naeem, K. S. Mohammad, and K. R. Ahmad, “The effect of microalloying of nickel and RRA treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties for high strength aluminum alloy,” Adv. Mater. Res. 925, 253–257 (2014).
I. Nikulin, R. Kaibyshev, and T. Sakai, “Superplasticity in a7055aluminum alloy processed by ECAE and subsequent isothermal rolling,” Mater. Sci. Eng., A 407, 62–70 (2005).
M. R. Rezaei, M. R. Toroghinejad, and F. Ashrafizadeh, “Effects of ARB and ageing processes on mechanical properties and microstructure of6061aluminum alloy,” J. Mater. Process. Technol. 211, 1184–190 (2011).
A. Rao. B. Rao, V. Deshmukh, A. Shah, and B. Kashyap, “Microstructural refinement of a cast hypereutectic Al–30Si alloy by friction stir processing,” Mater. Lett. 63, 2628–2630 (2009).
Z. Ma, “Friction stir processing technology: A review,” Metall. Mater. Trans. A 39, 642–658 (2008).
R. S. Mishra and Z. Y. Ma, “Friction stir welding and processing,” Mater. Sci. Eng.: R: Reports 50, 1–78 (2005)
T. Dieguez, A. Burgueño, and H. Svoboda, “Superplasticity of a friction stir processed 7075–T651 aluminum alloy,” Proc. Mater. Sci. 1, 110–117 (2012).
A. Orozco-Caballero, C. Cepeda-Jiménez, P. HidalgoManrique, P. Rey, D. Gesto, D. Verdera, et al., “"Lowering the temperature for high strain rate superplasticity in an Al–Mg–Zn–Cu alloy via cooled friction stir processing,” Mater. Chem. Phys. 142, 182–185 (2013).
M. El. R. Magdy, E. A. El. Danaf, and M. S. Soliman, “High-temperature deformation and enhanced ductility of friction stir processed7010aluminum alloy,” Mater. Design 32, 1916–1922 (2011).
C. M. Hu, C. M. Lai., P. W. Kao, N. J. Ho, and J. C. Huang, “Quantitative measurements of small scaled grain sliding in ultra-fine grained Al–Zn alloys produced by friction stir processing,” Mater. Character. 61, 1043–1053 (2010).
N. M. S. Gopalakrishnan, “Prediction of tensile strength of friction stir welded aluminium matrix TiCp particulate reinforced composite,” Mater. Design 32, 462–467 (2011).
J.-Q. Su, T. W. Nelson, and C. J. Sterling, “Microstructure evolution during FSW/FSP of high strength aluminum alloys,” Mater. Sci. Eng.: A 405, 277–286 (2005).
M. El. R. Magdy and E. A. El-Danafa, “The influence of multi-pass friction stir processing on the microstructural and mechanical properties of aluminum alloy 6082,” J. Mater. Proc. Technol. 212, 1157–1168 (2012).
H. F. Y. Morisada, T. Nagaoka, and M. Fukusumi, “MWCNTs/AZ31 surface composites fabricated by friction stir processing,” Mater. Sci. Eng.: A 419, 344–348(2006).
Q. Z. W. Blum, R. Merkel, and H. J. McQueen, “Geometric dynamic recrystallization in hot torsion of Al–5Mg–0.6Mn (AA5083),” Mater. Sci. Eng.: A 205, 23–30, (1996).
M. Abbasi Ghaaracheh, A. H. Kokabi, G. H. Daneshi, B. Shalchi, and R. Sarrafi, “The influence of the ratio of “rotational speed/traverse speed”(ω/v) on mechanical properties of AZ31 friction stir welds,” Int. J. Machine Tools Manufact. 46, 1983–1987 (2006).
Z. Y. Maa, S. R. Sharma, and R. S. Mishra, “Effect of friction stir processing on the microstructure of cast A356 aluminum,” Mater. Sci. Eng.: A 433, 269–278 (2006).
M. Barmouz, P. Asadia, M. K. B. Givi, and M. Taherishargh, “Investigation of mechanical properties of Cu/SiC composite fabricated by FSP: Effect of SiC particles’ size and volume fraction,” Mater. Sci. Eng.: A 528, 1740–1749 (2011).
Y. Morisada, H. Fujii, T. Nagaoka, K. Nogi, and M. Fukusumi, “Fullerene/A5083 composites fabricated by material flow during friction stir processing,” Composites Part A: Appl. Sci. Manufact., 38, 2097–2101(2007).
S. A. Alidokht, A. Abdollah-Zadeh, S. Soleymani, T. Saeid, and H. Assadi, “Evaluation of microstructure and wear behavior of friction stir processed cast aluminum alloy,” Mater. Charact. 63, 90–97 (2012).
S. Cartigueyen and K. Mahadevan, “Study of friction stir processed zone under different tool pin profiles in pure copper,” IOSR J. Mech. Civil Eng. 11, Issue 2, Ver. VII, 6–12 (2014).
Devinder Yadav and Ranjit Bauri, “Processing, microstructure and mechanical properties of nickel particles embedded aluminium matrix composite,” Mater. Sci. Eng.: A 528, 1326–1333 (2011).
Jinwen Qian, Jinglong Li, Jiangtao Xiong, Fusheng Zhang, and Xin Lin, “In situ synthesizing Al3Ni for fabrication of intermetallic-reinforced aluminum alloy composites by friction stir processing,” Mater. Sci. Eng.: A 550, 279–285 (2012).
C. G. Rhodes, M. W. Mahoney, W. H. Bingel, R. A. Spurling, and C. C. Bampton, “Effects of friction stir welding on microstructure of7075aluminum,” Scr. Mater. 36, 69–75 (1996).
H. Okamoto, “Al–Ni (Aluminum–Nickel),” J. Phase Euilibria, 14, 257–259 (1993).
H. T. Naeem and K. S. Mohammed, “Microstructural evaluation and mechanical properties of an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-alloy after addition of nickel under RRA conditions,” Mater. Sci. Appl. 4, 704–711 (2013).
X. Feng, H. Liu, and S. S. Babu, “Effect of grain size refinement and precipitation reactions on strengthening in friction stir processed Al–Cu alloys,” Scr. Mater.651057–1060 (2011).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
The article is published in the original.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Naeem, H.T., Mohammed, K.S. & Ahmad, K.R. Effect of friction stir processing on the microstructure and hardness of an aluminum-zinc-magnesium-copper alloy with nickel additives. Phys. Metals Metallogr. 116, 1035–1046 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0031918X15100051
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0031918X15100051