Papers by Author: Miroslav Cieslar

Abstract: The commercial Al–Zn–Mg–Cu-based alloys (7xxx series) are widely used in metalworking, automotive and aircraft industries as well as in aeronautical applications. The positive effect of the Sc,Zr-addition on mechanical properties of laboratory Al-based alloys is generally known. The microstructure, mechanical and thermal properties of the conventionally cast, heat-treated and cold-rolled Al–Zn–Mg–Cu (–Sc–Zr) alloys during isochronal annealing and natural ageing were studied. Microstructure observation by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy proved the Zn,Mg,Cu-containing eutectic phase at grain boundaries. The distinct changes in microhardness curves as well as in a heat flow of the alloys studied are mainly caused by dissolution of the clusters/Guinier-Preston (GP) zones and precipitation of particles from the Al–Zn–Mg–Cu system. An easier diffusion of Zn, Mg and Cu atoms along dislocations in the cold-rolled alloys is responsible for the precipitation of the Zn,Mg,Cu-containing particles at lower temperatures compared to the cast alloys. Microhardness values of the heat-treated alloys increase immediately from the beginning of natural ageing due to the formation of the clusters/GP zones. Addition of Sc and Zr elements results in a higher hardness above ~ 270 °C due to a strengthening by coherent secondary Al₃(Sc,Zr) particles with a good thermal stability. Sc,Zr-addition has probably no influence on the evolution of the solute clusters/GP zones.

Abstract: The positive effect of Sc,Zr-addition on mechanical properties in Al-based alloys preferred for automotive manufacture to produce lightweight vehicles is generally known. Microstructure, mechanical, electrical and thermal properties of the conventionally cast and homogenized (475 °C/60 min) Al-5.4wt.%Zn-3.1wt.%Mg-1.5wt.%Cu (7075) and Al-5.2wt.%Zn-3.0wt.%Mg-1.4wt.%Cu-0.2wt.%Sc-0.1wt.%Zr (7075-ScZr) alloys during isochronal annealing were characterized. Precipitation reactions were studied by microhardness, electrical resistivity and conductivity measurements, differential scanning calorimetry and positron annihilation spectroscopy. Microstructure observation by scanning and transmission electron microscopy proved the Zn,Mg,Cu-containing eutectic phase at grain boundaries in the alloys. The melting of this eutectic phase was observed at ~ 481 °C for the both alloys. The distinct changes in microhardness and electrical resistivity isochronal curves as well as in heat flow of the alloys studied are mainly caused by dissolution of the clusters/Guinier-Preston (GP) zones and by formation of the metastable phase particles of the Al–Zn–Mg–Cu system. Clusters/GP zones were formed during the cooling and/or in the course of the storage at room temperature. These clusters/GP zones were formed predominantly by Mg and Zn alloying elements. Hardening effect after isochronal annealing at temperatures above ~ 300 °C reflects the Sc,Zr-addition in both states of the 7075-ScZr alloy. Probably precipitation of the T-phase (Al₂Zn₃Mg₃) and S-phase (Al₂CuMg) particles took place during the annealing. The Sc,Zr-addition does not significantly influence precipitation of the particles formed in the Al–Zn–Mg–Cu system.

Abstract: The present work provides a review of the information available on the Al-rich corner of the Al–Fe–Si system as well as a CALPHAD type assessment making use of the COST 507 database as a starting point. The description of the intermetallic compounds has been modified to account for substitution of Al and Si in the ternary Al-Fe-Si system and to take new experimental information into account.

Abstract: Accumulative Roll Bonding (ARB) is a severe plastic deformation process that allows producing ultrafine-grained materials (UFG). UFG sheets exhibit enhanced strength and very fine grain structure. Foils used as fins in heat exchangers have to be very thin but must exhibit high strength combined with relatively high formability. Thus, materials produced using ARB may fulfil the exacting requirements on foil properties for such applications. The thermal stability of Al-Fe- Mn-Si foils produced using ARB and subsequent cold rolling was studied and compared with conventionally cold rolled (CCR) counterparts. The stability was assessed by isothermal annealing in the temperature range from 200 to 450 °C. Electron back scatter diffraction in a scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscopy examinations of foils microstructure in the deformed and annealed states allowed the monitoring of structural changes. The magnitude of mechanical properties changes due to annealing was evaluated by microhardness measurements. Significant hardness increase was observed after annealing at 200 °C only in the ARB samples and was assigned to an annealing-induced hardening. The CCR foil exhibits higher non-recrystallized fraction and smaller mean lamellae boundary spacing in the temperature interval of 200-250 °C than ARB foils. The annealing at 450 °C results in identical hardness values and fully recrystallized microstructure of all foils, regardless the method used for their manufacturing. However, the ARB samples show higher stability of the refined substructure than their cold rolled counterparts due to continuous recrystallization occurring in the ARB foils.

Abstract: Ultra-fine grained (UFG) materials can be produced by several techniques involving severe plastic deformation (SPD). Accumulative Roll Bonding (ARB) is one of the SPD methods that enable the production of large amounts of UFG sheets. UFG sheets were prepared by up to six cycles of ARB at ambient temperature from an Al-0.22Sc-0.13Zr alloy in two states: a non-agehardened and a peak-aged. The effect of Al3(Sc1-xZrx) precipitates on the thermal stability of the UFG structures produced by ARB was investigated by isochronal annealing at temperatures between 200 and 550 °C. Additionally, the non-age-hardened ARB material was peak-aged prior to annealing and annealed together with both as-ARB-processed materials. The changes of microstructure and hardness due to annealing were studied. Annealing at 300 °C induces an additional strengthening in both non-pre-aged ARB materials that may be ascribed to precipitation and growth of coherent Al3(Sc1-xZrx) particles. This result suggests that the hardness decrease introduced by ARB in the peak-aged specimen is due to dissolution of precipitates during deformation. The annealing response of the materials above 300 °C does not depend on their thermal pre-treatment. However, the finely dispersed Al3(Sc1-xZrx) precipitates stabilise the refined deformed microstructure suitable for superplastic forming up to relatively high temperatures.

Abstract: In this study, the relationship between the structure and properties of commercial purity aluminium (AW-1199) was investigated by applying constrained groove pressing (CGP) method. The refinement of the coarse grain aluminium microstructure to submicrocrystalline size by large plastic strain at room temperature defined. The impact of various strains upon microstructure changes is investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD). A mixture of subgrains produced by grains subdivision and polygonized subgrains formed locally due to dynamic recovery was found in the deformed aluminium. The tensile properties and resulting hardness are related to microstructural evolution induced by CGP. A substantial impact of straining upon the increasing in tensile strength was observed after the first pass. Further strain increase had an insignificant effect on tensile strength but was accompanied by ductility loss. The post deformation annealing effect was then explored with aim to increase the ductility. The results indicate that changes in strength and ductility may be related to formation of a bimodal structure.

Abstract: Equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) at 443 K was used to introduce an ultra-fine grained (UFG) microstructure to a Zr and Sc modified 7075 aluminum alloy. Using the methods of TEM and EBSD, an average grain size of 0.6 1m was recorded after the pressing. The UFG microstructure remained very stable up to the temperature of 723 K, where the material exhibited high strain rate superplasticity (HSRSP) with elongations to failure of 610 % and 410 % at initial strain rates of 6.4 x 10-2 s-1 and 1 x 10-1 s-1, respectively. A strain rate sensitivity parameter m in the vicinity of 0.45 was observed at temperatures as high as 773 K. At this temperature, the material still reached an elongation to failure of 430 % at 2 x 10-2 s-1. These results confirm the stabilizing effect of the Zr and Sc additions on the UFG microstructure in a 7XXX series aluminum alloy produced by severe plastic deformation.

Abstract: Heat treatable AlMgSi alloys are being used increasingly for automotive skin sheet. AA6016 sheets produced from direct chill (DC) cast ingots are the material of choice in Europe. However, manufacturing of sheets using twin-roll casting (TRC) is a cost effective alternative to DC casting. The effect of processing parameters on the age hardening of TRC AA6016 sheets was assessed. The influence of quenching temperature after solution annealing and subsequent pre-aging at 100 °C was studied. Sheets in the artificially aged condition were prepared using a simulated car-body paint baking procedure (180 °C/30 min). The precipitation kinetics, resulting dispersion of the agehardening phase and their correlations with properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy and tensile tests. It is demonstrated that pre-aging results in increased age hardening effect, especially in the material quenched to 20 °C after solution annealing. The differences in strength are ascribed to the differences in the nucleation rate of β'' precipitates during stabilisation and the formation of stable GP-I zones in naturally aged specimen. The differences in precipitate microstructure inherited from the pre-treatment affect precipitation kinetics during paint baking and result in different precipitate dispersion and sheet strength.

Abstract: Fins in automotive heat exchangers are manufactured from Al-Mn-Fe-Si foils. Since continuous twin-roll casting (TRC) reduces energy and work consumption, it is the preferred manufacturing technology. The precipitation processes resulting from annealing of TRC Al-Mn-Fe- Si based alloys were studied by resistometric measurements during linear heating from room temperature up to 620 °C, hardness measurements and transmission electron microscopy examinations. Primary particles and precipitates of the cubic α-Al15(Mn,Fe)3Si2, hexagonal Al8Fe2Si and orthorhombic Al6(Fe,Mn) phases were identified. Phases of different types prevail in different alloys depending on composition. The increase of cold rolling prestrain prior to annealing induces a significant shift to lower temperatures of the start of precipitation. Prestrain accelerates precipitation kinetics by redistributing solute atoms and favoring their segregation on nucleation sites such as dislocations, subgrain and grain boundaries.

Abstract: Mechanical properties and microstructure of twin-roll cast (TRC) pure aluminium, Al-Fe-Mn-Si (AA8006) and Al-Mg (AA5754) alloy sheets ARB processed at ambient and elevated temperatures (200, 250, 300 and 350°C) were investigated. Processing at elevated temperatures results in better bonding but it produces smaller increases in hardness. AA8006 specimens were processed without any problems up to 7 cycles. The alloy AA5754 suffered from severe edge and notch cracking since the first cycle. The strength was evaluated from tensile test and microhardness measurements; the microstructure was examined using light microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The microstructure was compared to that of conventionally cold rolled (CCR) specimens with true strain ε of 0.8, 1.6, 2.4 and 3.2 corresponding to the strain induced by 1 to 4 ARB cycles. The work hardening of alloy AA8006 saturated after the 3rd cycle, whereas the hardness of alloy AA5754 increased steadily up to the 5th cycle. Very fine grain structure with large fraction of high angle boundaries was observed in both alloys after two cycles of ARB. The grains were refined to submicrometre and nanometre size (down to 90 nm in alloy AA5754). Intensive post-dynamic recovery was observed in AA8006 specimens. The recovery is less pronounced in the AA5754 alloy with high concentration of solute atoms in solid solution.