Age-hardening behavior of Al–Mg–Si alloys using steam

Atomic pillar-based nanoprecipitates strengthen AlMgSi alloys.

Atomic-resolution electron microscopy reveals that pillarlike silicon double columns exist in the hardening nanoprecipitates of AlMgSi alloys, which vary in structure and composition. Upon annealing, the Si2 pillars provide the skeleton for the nanoparticles to evolve in composition, structure, and morphology. We show that they begin as tiny nuclei with a composition close to Mg2Si2Al7 and a mi...

High-strength age hardening copper–titanium alloys: redivivus

In this review the decomposition of supersaturated Cu–Ti solid solutions and subsequent microstructural evolution are discussed in terms of modern views of precipitation from solid solution. This update is motivated by an anticipated emergence of these alloys as technologically significant high-strength, high-conductivity, precipitation hardened alloys over the next decade replacing conventiona...

Precipitation Hardening of Metal Alloys

Precipitation hardening, or age hardening, provides one of the most widely used mechanisms for the strengthening of metal alloys. The fundamental understanding and basis for this technique was established in early work at the U. S. Bureau of Standards on an alloy known as Duralumin [1,2]. Duralumin is an aluminum alloy containing copper and magnesium with small amounts of iron and silicon. In a...

Precipitation Hardening of Al–Si–Mg Alloys

Precipitation hardening in dilute Al–Zr alloys

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of solute content (hipoperitectic Al–0.22 wt.%Zr and hiperperitectic Al–0.32 wt.%Zr) on the precipitation hardening and microstructural evolution of dilute Al–Zr alloys isothermally aged. The materials were conventionally cast in a muffle furnace, solidified in a water-cooled Cu mold and subsequently heat-treated at the temperature of 650 K (3...