Effects of Sc and Zr Addition on the Mechanical Properties of 7000 Series Aluminum Alloys

Abstract

Scandium addition to aluminum alloys has been evaluated at various research institutions, and it is known that the Al₃Sc precipitates effectively increase their strengths. In this study, the effect of Sc addition on the strengths of two types of 7000 series aluminum alloys was investigated. As a result, the strength increased by the Sc addition to both types of alloys, but the increased amounts were limited to 10–40 MPa. It was considered that because the strengthening effect by the η′ phase was sufficiently high, the precipitation strengthening by the dispersion of Al₃(Sc_1−xZr_x) particles was relatively low in these alloys.

In the 7000 series aluminum alloys, because the strengthening effect by the η′ phase is sufficiently high, the precipitation strengthening by the dispersion of Al₃(Sc_1−xZr_x) particles was relatively low.