The influences of interrupted ageing and retrogression and re-ageing heat treatments on fatigue crack growth with a single applied overload in 7050 aluminum alloy were investigated. The main aims were: to evaluate the influence of these heat treatment conditions on tensile properties, mainly fatigue crack growth rate and fracture process in the low-moderate ΔK region; to determine how both ageing treatments generate bimodal microstructure features as a contribution of the two conditions on the crack closure phenomenon; and the influence of the single applied overload to fatigue crack growth retardation. The results show that by using the RRA heat treatment condition it is possible to enhance the ductility without detrimental effects on the yield stress. T6I4-65 and RRA conditions contributed to enhancement of the crack closure phenomenon in the low-moderate ΔK region, and, accordingly, produced a lower fatigue crack growth rate in relation to the traditional T7451 condition.

The friction surfacing process of two deposited layers on two deposition surface conditions, i.e., a smooth interface and a rough interface, was investigated. The control parameter of the deposition process was the rod feed rate with the use of a conventional milling machine. Analyzes of the surface characterization and microstructural characterization along the produced deposits were performed. The interface strength of the substrate/deposit1 (smooth) and deposit1/deposit2 (rough) was evaluated by bending tests and the micro-hardness profile along the transverse section of the substrate/deposit1 and deposit1/deposit2. The bending tests revealed the presence of smalls delaminations with no evidence of fracture at the rough deposit1/deposit2 interface (D1/D2) with less predominance in the deposition condition 3B. This suggests that the combination of the travel speed of 5.5 mm/s and an increase in the consumable rod feed rate of (≥5.5 mm/s) increases the adhesive strength of the two produced interfaces.

The aim of this work was to produce deposits of AA6351-T6, reinforced with alumina (Al2O3) particles, over a substrate of AA5052-H32 through friction surfacing. AA6351-T6 consumable rods were drilled with one and two holes, which were filled with Al2O3 particles posteriorly. To perform the deposition, a conventional KONE KFE-3/BR milling machine was used. The results showed that Al2O3 particles increase the hardness values of the produced deposits when compared to those without particle addition. The coatings presented a fine equiaxed grain size distribution, once the grain refinement was nearly 48% lower than the as-received material. Moreover, deposit regions that showed finer grain boundaries also showed a higher volume fraction, which can be related to the particle stimulated phenomenon. Electron backscatter diffraction results showed the occurrence of low angle grain boundary substructures and lattice rotation, indicating that the material undergoes dynamic recrystallization during friction surfacing.

Abstract The quantification of nanometric precipitates in Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys has been performed by a series of experimental techniques. Especially in the AA7050 alloy, after ageing heat treatment, the particles responsible for the hardening become very thin. Typically, these precipitates of nanometric sizes are mainly characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which in this particular case, requires a very meticulous preparation. This study investigated a possible alternative quantification of the precipitates by atomic force microscopy (AFM) to complement the technique by TEM. For this, three conditions for heat treatment of an aged aluminium alloy AA7050 were therefore chosen to produce different density and sizes of precipitates. The experimental results showed that the AFM technique proved to be a valid qualitative tool and may complement the results obtained by TEM an exploratory analysis for the microstructures.

In this article the delamination phenomena, which occurs in the X70 steel during fracture process from the Charpy impact tests, was investigated. Microstructure, microtexture and Taylor factor map analyses were performed by scanning electron microscopy, light microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction, respectively. In a cross-section of two fractured surface regions namely, in the perpendicular and parallel regions to the propagation fracture direction where delamination occurred, it was possible to notice that delamination showed a key role in the anisotropy of impact toughness between the L-T and T-L orientations. The results also revealed that the cause of the delamination can be attributed to the presence of microstructural banding and elongated ferrite grains aligned in a rolling direction. The presence of (100)[011] and (111)[110] crystallographic orientations, with Taylor factors close to 2.7 and 4.5, respectively, were identified in the delamination region. They contribute to the occurrence of cleavage delamination during the fracture process.

A 7.4 mm thick strip of 3003 aluminum alloy produced by the industrial twin-roll casting (TRC) process was homogenized at 500 °C for 12 hours, after which it was cold rolled in two conditions: 1) to reduce the strip's thickness by 67%, and 2) to reduce it by 91%. The alloy was annealed at 400 °C for 1 hour in both conditions. The results revealed that a rotated cube texture, the {001}<110> component, predominated in the as-cast condition and was transformed into brass, copper and S type textures during the cold rolling process. There was practically no difference between the deformation textures at the two thickness reductions.

Nesse trabalho, são apresentados os resultados da determinação de textura cristalográfica da liga comercial de alumínio 3003, produzida em escala industrial pelo processo de fundição contínua de chapas. As diferentes etapas de processamento dos materiais metálicos, tais como solidificação, deformação plástica e recristalização, por exemplo, conduzem à formação de uma distribuição de orientação preferencial, onde predominam determinados eixos cristalográficos. Portanto a distribuição de orientação em um policristal é resultado do processo de fabricação e, com isso, a textura contém informações sobre o histórico de produção do material. A textura apresenta forte efeito nas propriedades do metal e revela a relação entre parâmetros de processamento do material e seu desempenho. A caracterização da textura, ao longo da espessura, foi feita utilizando-se difração de elétrons retroespalhados (EBSD). Foi possível observar diferenças ao longo da espessura.

The present work characterized the crystallographic texture of a commercial 3003 aluminum alloy produced by the twin roll caster process. The different stages of metal processing: solidification, plastic deformation and recrystallization, have different crystallographic textures. The crystallographic texture at the end of the manufacturing process contains information about the process itself. The texture characterization was carried out by electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD). Results showed that there was a significant difference between the specimen's texture at the surface and that of its center.

O presente trabalho caracterizou a microestrutura da liga comercial de alumínio 3003, produzida em escala industrial pelo processo de fundição contínua de chapas. Microscopia óptica com luz polarizada e campo escuro, microscopia eletrônica de varredura e ensaios de dureza Brinell foram utilizados. Os teores de manganês em solução sólida foram avaliados por medidas de resistividade elétrica. A análise química, ao longo da espessura da chapa é homogênea, ou seja, revela ausência de macro-segregação. A microestrutura da liga caracteriza-se pela presença de grãos com estrutura dendrítica, partículas primárias da fase Al6(Mn,Fe) localizadas, preferencialmente, nos contornos de grão e a fração volumétrica de precipitados varia ao longo da espessura.

The present work characterized the microstructure of a commercial 3003 aluminum alloy produced on an industrial scale by a twin roll caster process. Optical microscopy using polarized light and dark field, scanning electron microscopy, and Brinell hardness tests were carried out. The manganese content in solid solution was evaluated by electric resistivity measurements. The chemical composition across sheet thickness is homogeneous, in other words, there is no macro-segregation. A microstructural examination showed the presence of: grains with a dendritic structure, primary phase particles Al6(Mn,Fe) in the grain boundaries, and variable volumetric fractions of the precipitated along the thickness.