Enhanced Formability and Accelerated Precipitation Behavior of 7075 Al Alloy Extruded Rod by High Temperature Aging

Abstract

This study was conducted for high temperature aging (HTA) to simultaneously reduce current treatment time and increase the tensile ductility of 7075 aluminum alloy. Various high temperatures and different durations for artificial aging were compared. We investigated the microstructure and the tensile properties of 7075 aluminum alloy extruded rod after various HTAs, and compared them with the outcomes of full annealing (O). The total elongation (TE) of the specimen after solution heat treatment (490 °C, 1 h) and artificial aging (280 °C, 12 h) was about 25%. For full annealing, it is known as 21%. The reason for this was the formation of the η phase in the matrix, which had fewer large particles (Al-Cu phase). The hardening of HTA specimens is higher than that of O, indicating necking resistance during homogeneous plastic deformation. Thereby, HTA treatment increases the formability of 7075 aluminum alloy.