Optimization of a Solution Treatment in the Al-Cu-Mg-Ag Alloy via a Microstructural Investigation

Abstract

We investigated the effect of solution temperature (Tsol. = 440–530 °C) on the mechanical properties of the Al–3.4Cu–0.34Mg–0.3Mn–0.17Ag alloy, finding that the investigated Al alloy showed the highest mechanical strength of σUTS = ~329 MPa at a Tsol. value of 470 °C. The microstructural investigation demonstrates that the mechanical properties for different Tsol. values stem from grain growth, precipitation hardening, and the formation of large particles at the grain boundaries. On the basis of Tsol. = 470 °C, the effect of each microstructural evolution is significantly different on the mechanical properties. In this study, the relationships between the microstructural evolution and the mechanical properties were investigated with respect to different values of Tsol.