Affiliation:
1. 1Department of Materials Science, Silesian University of Technology, Katowice, Poland
Abstract
AbstractThis paper presents the results of studies on the effects of thermal treatment on the structure, hardness and strength of a high-aluminium monotectoid ZnAl40Cu3 alloy. The alloy was tested in the following conditions: after supersaturation at a temperature of 385 °C; after supersaturation at a temperature of 385 °C and subsequent ageing at temperatures of 125, 150 and 175 °C; and after annealing at a temperature of 185 °C. The studies revealed that annealing at a temperature of 185 °C causes a decrease in hardness and strength of ZnAl40Cu3 alloy. In contrast, the highest increase in hardness and strength was obtained by “incomplete” supersaturation at a temperature of 385 °C for 10 h. The increase in hardness and strength of the ZnAl40Cu3 alloy observed in the result of “incomplete” supersaturation at a temperature of 385 °C for 10 h may be connected with, most of all, formation of a quasi-dendritic structure. It was found that ageing of supersaturated samples causes a decrease in their hardness when compared to that of the samples after supersaturation.
Subject
Materials Chemistry,Metals and Alloys,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry,Condensed Matter Physics