Title: Influence of ageing on tensile and stress corrosion cracking behaviour of 7075 aluminium alloy plates

Authors: R. Gerosa, B. Rivolta, U. Derudi

Addresses: Politecnico di Milano, Polo Regionale di Lecco, Via M. d'Oggiono, 18a, 23900, Lecco (LC), Italy. ' Politecnico di Milano, Polo Regionale di Lecco, Via M. d'Oggiono, 18a, 23900, Lecco (LC), Italy. ' Aviometal Spa, Corso Sempione, 15, 21010, Arsago Seprio (VA), Italy

Abstract: The SAE AMS 2772 standard prescribes the possibility of achieving the T7X condition of a 7075 aluminium alloy, starting from the T6 condition and super-imposing successive artificial ageing, with no repetition of solution and quench. The latter is mainly used for mechanical applications of the alloy, due to the wider availability in the market of such a condition. The aim of this work is to investigate the mechanical strengths and the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behaviour of 7075 aluminium alloy plates, by varying the ageing steps. The T7X condition is achieved starting from a solution treated and quenched (W) condition and from a T6 condition, following different ageing steps according to the standard. The following results have been compared with those obtained with T6 condition and discussed by varying the experimental conditions. Moreover, the effect of each ageing step has been investigated both with mechanical and SCC tests.

Keywords: aluminium alloys; heat treatment; stress corrosion cracking; SCC; salt fog spray chamber; mechanical strength; ageing; tensile corrosion cracking; crack behaviour; aluminium alloy plates.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMP.2010.032498

International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties, 2010 Vol.5 No.1, pp.15 - 25

Published online: 04 Apr 2010 *

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