Effect of rolling geometry on the mechanical properties, microstructure and recrystallization texture of Al-Mg-Si alloys

Abstract

The effect of rolling geometry on mechanical properties, microstructure, and recrystallization texture of Al-Mg-Si alloys was studied by means of tensile tests, microstructural observations, and electron backscatter diffraction measurements. The results reveal that the elongation and the average plasticity strain ratio (r) values of the T4P (pre-aging plus natural aging)-treated alloy sheet with a rolling geometry value between 1 and 3 are somewhat higher than those of the T4P-treated sheet with a rolling geometry value between 3 and 6. The deformation and recrystallization microstructures of the sheet with a rolling geometry value between 1 and 3 are more uniform than those of the sheet with a rolling geometry value between 3 and 6. The former also possesses somewhat higher surface quality. H {001}〈110〉 and Goss {110}〈001〉 orientations are the main recrystallization texture components for the former case, whereas the latter case only includes H{001}〈110〉 orientation. Texture gradients are present in the two alloy sheets. Shear texture component F on the surface of the sheet with a rolling geometry value between 3 and 6 and its higher texture gradients have revealed that non-uniform deformation occurred during cold rolling. The effects of texture on the yield strength and r value were also discussed.

Keywords

aluminum–magnesium–silicon alloys / rolling / surface quality / mechanical properties / microstructure; texture

References

[1] Burger GB, Gupta AK, Jeffrey PW, Lloyd DJ. Microstructural control of aluminum sheet used in automotive applications. Mater. Charact., 1995, 35(1): 23.

[2] Engler O, Hirsch J. Texture control by thermomechanical processing of AA6xxx Al-Mg-Si sheet alloys for automotive applications: a review. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2002, 336(1-2): 249.

[3] Hirsch J, Al-Samman T. Superior light metals by texture engineering: optimized aluminum and magnesium alloys for automotive applications. Acta Mater., 2013, 61(3): 818.

[4] Inoue H, Takasugi T. Texture control for improving deep drawability in rolled and annealed aluminum alloy sheets. Mater. Trans., 2007, 48(8): 2014.

[5] Miller WS, Zhuang L, Bottema J, Wittebrood AJ, De Smet P, Haszler A, Vieregge A. Recent development in aluminium alloys for the automotive industry. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2000, 280(1): 37.

[6] Sidor J, Miroux A, Petrov R, Kestens L. Microstructural and crystallographic aspects of conventional and asymmetric rolling processes. Acta Mater., 2008, 56(11): 2495.

[7] Sidor J, Petrov RH, Kestens LAI. Deformation, recrystallization and plastic anisotropy of asymmetrically rolled aluminum sheets. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2010, 528(1): 413.

[8] Sidor J, Miroux A, Petrov R, Kestens L. Controlling the plastic anisotropy in asymmetrically rolled aluminium sheets. Philos. Mag., 2008, 88(30-32): 3779.

[9] Hirsch J. Recent development in aluminium for automotive applications. Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China, 2014, 24(7): 1995.

[10] Cai YH, Wang C, Zhang JS. Microstructural characteristics and aging response of Zn-containing Al-Mg-Si-Cu alloy. Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 2013, 20(7): 659.

[11] Asbeck HO, Mecking H. Influence of friction and geometry of deformation on texture inhomogeneities during rolling of Cu single crystals as an example. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 1978, 34(2): 111.

[12] Truszkowski W, Król J, Major B. Inhomogeneity of rolling texture in fcc metals. Metall. Trans. A, 1980, 11(5): 749.

[13] Deng YL, Zhang XM, Liu Y, Tang JG, Zhou ZP. Effect of deformation geometry and friction on shear texture in high purity aluminum foils. Chin. J. Nonferrous Met., 2002, 12(4): 634.

[14] Mao WM. Modeling of rolling texture in aluminum. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 1998, 257(1): 171.

[15] Zhang XM, Jiang HH, Xiao YQ, Chen ZY, Liu CM, Zhou ZP. Influence of lubricants on deformation textures in high purity Al. Chin. J. Nonferrous Met., 2001, 11(5): 785.

[16] Leu D. Prediction of the limiting drawing ratio and the maximum drawing load in cup-drawing. Int. J. Mach. Tools Manuf., 1997, 37(2): 201.

[17] Engler O, Lücke K. Mechanisms of recrystallization texture formation in aluminium alloys. Scripta Metall. Mater., 1992, 27(11): 1527.

[18] Engler O. Nucleation and growth during recrystallisation of aluminium alloys investigated by local texture analysis. Mater. Sci. Technol., 1996, 12(10): 859.

[19] Li S, Kang SB, Ko HS. Effect of intermediate annealing on texture evolution and plastic anisotropy in an Al-Mg autobody alloy. Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 2000, 31(1): 99.

[20] Engler O. On the influence of orientation pinning on growth selection of recrystallisation. Acta Mater., 1998, 46(5): 1555.

[21] Bennett TA, Petrov RH, Kestens LAI. Effect of particles on texture banding in an aluminium alloy. Scripta Mater., 2010, 62(2): 78.

[22] Bennett TA, Petrov RH, Kestens LAI, Zhuang LZ, De Smet P. The effect of particle-stimulated nucleation on texture banding in an aluminium alloy. Scripta Mater., 2010, 63(5): 461.

[23] Liu YS, Kang SB, Ko HS. Texture and plastic anisotropy of Al-Mg-0.3Cu-1.0Zn alloys. Scripta Mater., 1997, 37(4): 411.