Comparative Study of Precipitation Hardened and Equal Channel Angular Pressed Powder Metallurgical Al-Alloy Samples

Abstract

In the research work the precipitation hardening and/or equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) of PM aluminium alloy (AlCuSiMg) samples were investigated. The aim of the research was to determine the optimal parameters for precipitation hardening, especially temperature and time (in terms of maximal strength), and to test the ECAP pressing number for the same properties of precipitation hardened samples. The samples produced were studied by SEM, X-ray diffraction. The results showed that the PM samples had higher mechanical properties after one pressing by ECAP than after precipitation hardening with optimal parameters. In severe plastic deformation a heated die with a channel angle of 90° and ‘A’ route was used. During the heat treatment the applied temperature of the solution treatment was 420-540°C for 1 hour or 3 hours, and hardening was applied at 180°C for 5 hours.