Precipitation Behaviour of Mg and Si at RT in Pre-Aged Al-Mg-Si Alloys

The precipitation behavior of Mg and Si during storage at RT in Al-Mg-Si alloys pre-aged at 90°C was studied using a tensile test and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurement. Specimens were solutionized at 530°C, water-quenched and then pre-aged for 2, 6 and 12 hours at 90°C during which small precipitates were formed. In the pre-aged alloy, the strengthening rate at RT has two stages. In the initial stage, the yield strength increases slowly with the aging time and in the final stage, it increases rapidly. In the initial stage, the strength in the pre-aged alloy is smaller than that in the non pre-aged alloy, while in the final stage, the strength in the pre-aged alloy is larger than that in the non pre-aged alloy. Furthermore, the period of the initial stage is dependent on the pre-aging period at 90°C. The DSC curves of alloys in the initial stage do not show the presence of clusters, while those in the final stage do. It seems that in the initial stage Mg and Si atoms accumulate around the small precipitates that have been formed in pre-aging at 90°C while in the final stage, the clusters of these atoms are formed.