The influence of quench sensitivity on residual stresses in the aluminium alloys 7010 and 7075
- Materials and Surface Science Institute, University of Limerick (Ireland)
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol (United Kingdom)
- ISIS Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot (United Kingdom)
- Helmholtz Centre Berlin for Materials and Energy, Hahn Meitner Platz 1, Berlin (Germany)
The most critical stage in the heat treatment of high strength aluminium alloys is the rapid cooling necessary to form a supersaturated solid solution. A disadvantage of quenching is that the thermal gradients can be sufficient to cause inhomogeneous plastic deformation which in turn leads to the development of large residual stresses. Two 215 mm thick rectilinear forgings have been made from 7000 series alloys with widely different quench sensitivity to determine if solute loss in the form of precipitation during quenching can significantly affect residual stress magnitudes. The forgings were heat treated and immersion quenched using cold water to produce large magnitude residual stresses. The through thickness residual stresses were measured by neutron diffraction and incremental deep hole drilling. The distribution of residual stresses was found to be similar for both alloys varying from highly triaxial and tensile in the interior, to a state of biaxial compression in the surface. The 7010 forging exhibited larger tensile stresses in the interior. The microstructural variation from surface to centre for both forgings was determined using optical and transmission electron microscopy. These observations were used to confirm the origin of the hardness variation measured through the forging thickness. When the microstructural changes were accounted for in the through thickness lattice parameter, the residual stresses in the two forgings were found to be very similar. Solute loss in the 7075 forging appeared to have no significant effect on the residual stress magnitudes when compared to 7010. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Through thickness residual stress measurements made on large Al alloy forgings. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Residual stress characterised using neutron diffraction and deep hole drilling. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Biaxial compressive surface and triaxial subsurface residual stresses. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Quench sensitivity of 7075 promotes significant microstructural differences to 7010. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer When precipitation is accounted for, residual stress in both forgings are similar.
- OSTI ID:
- 22066427
- Journal Information:
- Materials Characterization, Vol. 65, Issue Complete; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2012 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1044-5803
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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