Light Metals 2013 Edited by: Barry Sadler

TMS (The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society), 2013

Toward a Recrystallized Microstructure in Extruded AA6005A Alloy

A. Bahrami1'2, A.J. den Bakker3, A. Miroux1'2, J. Sietsma2
1
Materials innovation institute (M2i), Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft, the Netherlands
Department Materials Science and Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft, the Netherlands
Nedal Aluminium B.V., Groenewoudsedijk 1, 3528 BG Utrecht, the Netherlands

Keywords: Recrystallized micro structure, Extrusion, Al-Mg-Si alloys

Abstract deformed structure. However, changing the micro structure from a

fibrous deformed one to a fully recrystallized one necessities a
The correlation between extrusion processing parameters and precise control of chemical composition as well as processing
chemical compositions on the one hand and the grain structure parameters. Non-homogeneous distribution of grain size and
and mechanical properties on the other hand is studied for an partially recrystallized structures are not desirable.
extruded AA6005A alloy. Alloys with different chemical Recrystallization behavior during extrusion can be controlled by
compositions and billet homogenization treatments have been the alloy chemistry, homogenization treatment and extrusion
extruded under different processing parameters. Optical processing parameters. There is limited available literature
microscope observations as well as hardness tests show that a regarding the correlation between the alloy chemistry and
wide range of mechanical properties and microstructures can be extrusion parameters in one hand and the grain structure of Al-
obtained. The grain structure can vary from a fibrous, deformed Mg-Si extrudate in the other hand. This study aims at
micro structure to a fully recrystallized microstructure. In some understanding the role of chemical composition, homogenization
cases a mixture of the two is observed. The effects of processing treatment, billet temperature, and quench rate on the grain
parameters and chemical composition on the grain structure is structure of the alloy AA6005A. The information presented in this
discussed and used to find the optimized combination of paper could be useful to control and optimize the grain structure
homogenization treatment, pre-heating temperature, cooling rate in other grades of Al-Mg-Si alloys.
after deformation, and chemical composition, in order to obtain a
homogeneous recrystallized grain micro structure and optimum
mechanical strength. Materials and Methods

Introduction The chemical composition of the alloy AA6005A is shown in

table 1. Two variants of the alloy AA6005A were DC-cast into
Aluminum alloys are increasingly used in structural components ingots of length 300 mm and diameter 143 mm: one with
in automotive and aerospace industries. They offer low weight, Mn+Cr=0.13 (hereafter named 6005A_I) and the other one with
relatively high strength, corrosion resistance and good weldability Mn+Cr=0.4 (hereafter named 6005AJI). Mn and Cr are
[1-4]. Among different groups of aluminum alloys, the heat- dispersoid-forming alloying elements, which inhibit the
treatable AA6xxx series aluminum alloys are the most widely recrystallization and grain growth. The ingots were extruded with
used alloys in various medium-strength structural components, the speed of 3 mm/s to the profile shown in Figure 1. Two
including automobile body sheet, pipes, welded structures, and homogenization temperatures 530 and 570 °C were used to
aircraft components. Extrusion of aluminum alloys is a relatively homogenize the as-cast ingots. Two pre-heating temperatures 480
cheap and fast method of producing complex shapes from Al-Mg- and 520 °C were also chosen to pre-heat the ingots before
Si alloys. The flexibility of the extrusion method with respect to extrusion. The ingots were either air- or water-quenched after
the alloy chemistry and profile shapes makes a unique technique extrusion, to study the effect of cooling rate after extrusion on the
for a wide range of components, used in building structures, grain structure and mechanical properties of the alloy AA6005A.
offshore industry, furniture, aerospace applications, and The grain structure of the extruded profiles was examined with a
automotive applications [2]. Control of grain structure in extruded polarized optical microscope.
Al-Mg-Si alloys structures is of critical importance in so many
applications. For example in aerospace applications, presence of Table I. Chemical composition (wt%) of the alloy AA6005A
peripheral coarse surface grain size can significantly decrease the
Elements 600SA
fatigue resistance of the components. In most applications for Al-
Min Max
Mg-Si alloys, a fibrous deformed grain structure is more Si 0.5 0.9
desirable. This can be achieved by increasing the amount of Fe
dispersoid-forming elements (mainly manganese and chromium)
- 0.35
Cu - 0.3
in the Al-Mg-Si alloys. However, in most cases the higher the Mg
Mg 0.4 0.7
and Cr contents, the higher the extrusion pressure, which could
Mn - 0.5
eventually increase the risk of the formation of peripheral coarse
Cr - 0.3
grain structure. Coarse recrystallized surface layer in alloy
Zn - 0.2
AA6005A could results in orange peel effect during cold forming
Ti - 0.1
and poor anodized appearance for decorative applications [3]. So,
Others each - 0.03
for some applications it could be more beneficial to have a fully
recrystallized microstructure in Al-Mg-Si alloys rather than a

347
 Figure 4 shows the effects of cooling rate after extrusion on the
'"' 1 — grain structure of the alloy AA6005A_I. It is seen that the alloy,
quenched in air (Figure 4a), has slightly larger grains, compared

1h
y
^Ί f ^
iV to the water-quenched sample (Figure 4b). During slow
quenching, the exposure time of the profile at elevated
temperatures, where further grain boundary motion could takes
place, increases. This could be the main reason for the observed

n difference between grain size in the water-quenched and air-

J
^
: 77.95 ! cooled samples. This effect is, however, minimal and obviously
i=l
the grain structure of AA6005A alloy is relatively stable during
= M =
elevated temperature exposure after extrusion. It is worth noting
that the cooling rate after extrusion does not have any influence
Figure 1. The drawing of the die, which is used for the extrusion on the deformed fibrous structure of the alloy AA6005A_II either.
(dimensions are in mm)
WA^JŒ.
Results and Discussions \< \%'Wm
^TrJa ^?*
The grain structures observed after extrusion can be categorized
into three categories: fibrous or deformed, fully recrystallized, and
mixed recrystallized/deformed. Figure 2 shows examples of these Ι'^-Ί EBBh
BS
three different micro structures.
ρΡη
A B

Figure 4. Effects of cooling rate on the grain structure of the alloy

AA6005A_I after a) air cooling and b) water quenching

Figure 5 shows the effects of pre-heating temperature on the grain

structure of the alloy AA6005A_II. Obviously, the pre-heating
temperature does not have any significant influence on the grain
structure. This is also the case for the alloy AA6005A_I. Billet
temperature influences the stored energy and can drive or inhibit
recrystaUization. High billet temperatures promote high exit
Figure 2. Examples of a) deformed, b) recrystallized, and c) temperatures, allowing grain boundaries to move but also
mixed recrystallized/deformed grain structures correspond to lower stored energy. In the current case it seems
that the difference between pre-heating temperatures 480 and 520
Figure 3 compares the microstructures of alloys AA6005A_I and °C is not high enough to make a difference in the grain structure
AA6005A_II,. The micro structure of AA6005A_I, having lower of extradâtes.
amounts of Mn and Cr, is either completely recrystallized or
mixed recrystallized/deformed depending on the process
parameters. The micro structure of AA6005A_II, having higher
amounts of Mn and Cr, is always fibrous. This can be rationalized
in terms of the concentration of dispersoid forming elements, Mn
and Cr. The dispersoids offer a resistance to grain boundary
motion and can therefore inhibit the growth of grains during
recrystaUization. Decreasing the total Mn and Cr content reduces
the volume fraction of particles and increases the inter-particle
spacing, which decreases the grain boundary pinning effect, ... '' ίλπ^

resulting in the easier recrystaUization. A B

Figure 5. Effects of pre-heating temperature a) 480 °C and b) 520
°C on the grain structure of the alloy AA6005A_II

Figure 6 shows the effects of homogenization temperature on the

grain structure of the alloy AA6005A_I. At homogenization
temperature 530°C, in most cases a mixed deformed/recrystallized
structure is observed (see Figure 6a). However, by increasing the
homogenization temperature to 570 °C, a more homogeneously
recrystallized micro structure is obtained. This could be attributed
to the effects of homogenization treatment on the dispersoid size
distribution. Further investigation on the effects of temperature on
Figure 3. Effects of Mn+Cr contents on the grain structure in the the dispersoid size distribution is, however, needed to postulate
a) alloy AA6005AJ and b) alloy AA6005AJI

348
the effects of homogemzation temperature on the structure of supersaturation for the material pre-heated at 520 °C provides a
extradâtes. higher potential for precipitate strengthening during ageing.

140
Beïore A çeing
120 ■ Aller Ageing

Figure 6. Effects of homogemzation temperature a) 530 and b)

570 °C on the grain structure of the alloy AA6005AJ
L
50CSA_n_4BDC eoKA_n_4BM:

Figure 7. Effects of pre-heating temperature and quenching rate

Figure 7 shows the microhardness of the alloy AA6005A_II after on the hardness of the alloy AA6005A_II
extrusion and a few days of natural ageing and after 6 hours Conclusions
ageing at 180 °C. Obviously, when the alloy is water-quenched,
the hardness is higher compared to the case when the alloy is air- The correlation between extrusion processing parameters and
cooled. Furthermore, the hardness increase during artificial ageing chemical compositions on the one hand and the grain structure
is also higher for the water-quenched material than the air-cooled and mechanical properties on the other hand was studied for an
one. Besides, pre-heating at 520 °C could slightly increase extruded AA6005A alloy. Alloys with different Mn+Cr contents,
hardness compared to the pre-heating at 480 °C and has negligible billet homogemzation treatments and extrusion processing
effect on the hardness increment during artificial ageing. The parameters have been extruded. The following conclusions can be
overall strength and hardness of Al-Mg-Si alloys mainly depend drawn:
on the micro structure, the solute content, and the distribution of
precipitates, in the present case the metastable phases of Mg2Si
• The grain structures observed can, depending on the
[5]. Since pre-heating temperature and cooling rate were found to
composition and processing parameters, be fibrous,
have minimum effects on the micro structure, the difference of
fully recrystallized, or mixed recrystallized/deformed.
hardness observed in figure 7 can be attributed to differences in
solute content and precipitate distribution. During ageing • By decreasing the amounts of Mn and Cr, the
precipitates nucleate from the supersaturated solid solution. These microstructure is normally either completely
nuclei are small and, therefore, cut through by moving recrystallized or mixed recrystallized/deformed.
dislocations during deformation. The contribution of these nuclei
to the strength is usually weak or moderate. The higher the • The effect of cooling rate on the grain structure is
temperature at which the nucleation takes place, the lower the minimal and obviously the grain structure of AA6005A
nucleus number density. By increasing the ageing time, the alloy is relatively stable during elevated temperature
precipitates become larger and stronger. Precipitates larger than a exposure after extrusion. However, hardness of the aged
transition radius cannot be sheared any more and dislocation can alloy is very much influenced by the cooling rate after
only bypass by looping around them. This leaves an Orowan loop extrusion. Slow quenching in the air promotes the
around the precipitates that enhances the mechanical properties of formation of large Mg2Si particles, and therefore
the alloy. However, the density of precipitates simultaneously decreases the hardness of T6 alloy.
decreases during ageing so that a maximum strength is obtained
• At homogemzation temperature 530°C, in most cases a
for an intermediate average precipitate size. When precipitates
mixed deformed/recrystallized structure is observed.
become bigger, their number decreases and the overall strength as
However, by increasing the homogemzation
well. During air-cooling after extrusion, precipitates have time to
temperature to 570 °C, the micro structure is more
nucleate and grow when the material is still at high temperature.
homogeneous. This could be attributed to the effects of
These precipitates have a low number density, and therefore have
homogemzation treatment on the dispersoid size
limited contribution to the strength, but could still consume
distribution.
significant amounts of Mg and Si. As a result the supersaturation
will be low after cooling and the hardening potential of the
material during artificial ageing is limited. In comparison, no
Acknowledgments
precipitation is expected during water-quenching and the
supersaturation is maintained. A high density of precipitates can
This research was carried out under project No. M42.5.10417 in
nucleate during subsequent natural ageing and artificial ageing
the framework of research program of the Materials innovation
and contribute to the observed strength increase. The higher
institute M2i (www.M2i.nl). The authors would like to thank M2i
hardness for the material pre-heated at 520 °C compared to the
for funding this project.
one pre-heated at 480 °C can be related to the higher amount of
Mg and Si in solid solution at higher pre-heating temperature.
During water-quenching this difference is conserved. The higher
References

349
[1] Parson, N.C. and H.L. Yiu, "The Effect of Heat Treatment on
the Micro structure and Properties of 6000 Series Extrusion
Ingots," Light Metals, 1989, 713.
[2] Kikuchi, S. and M. Sukitomo, "Analysis of Metal Flow and
Recrystallisation Behavior in Extrusion," Proceedings of the
Fourth International Aluminum Extrusion Technology Seminar,
1988, Vol. 2, 343.
[3] Yang, S.H., "Effect of Chemistry, Extrusion Speed and
Temperature, Die Design on Recrystallised Layer Thickness in
Extruded Alloy 6061," Proceedings of the Seventh International
Aluminum Extrusion Technology Seminar, 2000, Vol. 1, 371.
[4] Parson, N.C, C.W. Jowett, J.D. Hankin, K.P.Hicklin,
"Comparison of the Extrusion Performance and Product
Characteristics of Three Structural Extrusion Alloys: AA6061,
AA6082 and AA6005A," Proceedings of the Seventh
International Aluminum Extrusion Technology Seminar, 2000,
Vol. 2, 1-12.

[5] A. Bahrami, A. Miroux, J. Sietsma, An Age-Hardening

Model for Al-Mg-Si Alloys Considering Needle-Shaped
Precipitates, Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A
2012, Vol. 43, Issue 11, 4445-4453.