Effects of Post-Heat Treatments on Mechanical and Electrical Properties of 6201 Aluminum Alloy

Article Preview

Abstract:

This study investigates the effect of introducing an intermediate solution treatment after cold drawing and before artificial aging on the mechanical and electrical properties of the 6201 aluminum alloy. The solution heat treatment was performed at 510 °C for one hour. Aging treatments were conducted at temperatures ranging from 150 °C to 200 °C for durations between 2 h and 30 h. This heat treatment route yielded comparatively softer materials, with a maximum ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of approximately 325 MPa. Electrical conductivity (EC) measurements demonstrated that the T6-temper method consistently produced higher EC values reaching values of around 63 %IACS compared to the conventional process, deomstrating inverse relationship between strength and conductivity. It was found that T6-155-30 condition produces the best combination of strength, ductility and EC of 325 MPa, 11.5% and 58.6 %IACS, respectively.

You might also be interested in these eBooks

Info:

Periodical:

Pages:

81-86

Citation:

Online since:

May 2026

Export:

Price:

Permissions CCC:

Permissions PLS:

Сopyright:

© 2026 Trans Tech Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved

Share:

Citation:

* - Corresponding Author

[1] Chakrabarti, D., & Laughlin, D. E. (2004). Phase relations and precipitation in Al–Mg–Si alloys with Cu additions. Progress in Materials Science, 49(3), 389–410

DOI: 10.1016/S0079-6425(03)00031-8

Google Scholar

[2] Jin, H., Tie, D., & Guan, R. (2022). Precipitation behavior during re-aging of Al–Mg–Si–Cu alloy. Materials & Design, 220, 110883

DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2022.110883

Google Scholar

[3] Matsuda, K., Taniguchi, S., Kido, K., Uetani, Y., & Ikeno, S. (2002). Effects of Cu and transition metals on the precipitation behaviors of metastable phases at 523 K in Al–Mg–Si alloys. Materials Transactions, 43(11), 2789–2795

DOI: 10.2320/matertrans.43.2789

Google Scholar

[4] Sunde, J. K., Marioara, C. D., Wenner, S., & Holmestad, R. (2021). On the microstructural origins of improvements in conductivity by heavy deformation and ageing of Al–Mg–Si alloy 6101. Materials Characterization, 176, 111073

DOI: 10.1016/j.matchar.2021.111073

Google Scholar

[5] Yao, J., Graham, D., Rinderer, B., & Couper, M. (2001). A TEM study of precipitation in Al–Mg–Si alloys. Micron, 32(8), 865–870

DOI: 10.1016/S0968-4328(00)00095-0

Google Scholar

[6] Raeisinia, B., Poole, W. J., & Lloyd, D. (2006). Examination of precipitation in the aluminum alloy AA6111 using electrical resistivity measurements. Materials Science and Engineering: A, 420(1), 245–249

DOI: 10.1016/j.msea.2006.02.045

Google Scholar

[7] Flores, F. U., Seidman, D. N., Dunand, D. C., & Vo, N. Q. (2018). Development of high-strength and high-electrical-conductivity aluminum alloys for power transmission conductors. Minerals, Metals & Materials Series, Part F4, 247–251

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-72284-9_34

Google Scholar

[8] Polmear, I. (2005). Light Alloys. Elsevier, Netherlands.

Google Scholar