Formation mechanism of gradient-distributed particles and their effects on grain structure in 01420 Al-Li alloy

Fine-grained 01420 Al-Li alloy sheets were produced by thermo-mechanical processing based on the mechanism of particle stimulated nucleation of recrystallization. The thermo-mechanically processed sheets were observed to contain layers of different microstructures along the thickness. The precipitate behavior of the second phase particles and their effects on the distribution of dislocations and layered recrystallized grain structure were analyzed by optical microscopy（OM）, scanning electron microscopy（SEM）, transmission electron microscopy（TEM） and X-ray diffractometry（XRD）. The formation mechanism of the gradient particles was discussed. The results show that after aging, a gradient distribution of large particles along the thickness is observed, the particles in the surface layer（SL） are distributed homogeneously, whereas those in the center layer（CL） are mainly distributed parallel to the rolling direction, and the volume fraction of the particles in the SL is higher than that in the CL. Subsequent rolling in the presence of layer-distributed particles results in a corresponding homogeneous distribution of highly strained regions in the SL and a banded distribution of them in CL, which is the main reason for the formation of layered grain structure along the thickness in the sheets.     

预变形和过时效对AA2195铝锂合金晶粒的细化

通过金相和扫描电镜等分析手段,研究预变形和过时效对机械热处理细化AA2195铝锂合金晶粒的影响.结果表明:过时效前的预轧制变形所形成的应变区为第二相提供了均匀的形核位置,提高了第二相粒子的体积分数;与400℃单级过时效相比,预变形后采用300℃+400℃双级过时效可使第二相粒子间距由2.09μm增大到3.43μm,在轧制过程中有利于形成独立的高能应变区,为再结晶提供更多的形核位置,进一步细化、等轴化AA2195铝锂合金晶粒,最终晶粒尺寸由12.6 μm细化至8.8μm,晶粒纵横比由1.61减小至1.27.     

温度对01420铝锂合金轧制开裂及晶粒细化的影响

采用形变热处理方法制备了01420铝锂合金细晶板材,研究了预热温度、中间退火温度对板材轧制开裂及晶粒细化的影响.结果表明:板材在低温(＜300℃)轧制时常常开裂,将开轧温度提高到400℃,在53%～70%轧制变形量后将板材在340～400℃退火2 h,可解决开裂问题.但中间退火温度对最终的再结晶晶粒大小有很大影响:温度为400℃时,合金发生了明显的部分再结晶,位错密度大大降低,虽获得了82%变形量的无开裂的板材,但再结晶后的晶粒粗大,平均晶粒尺寸约为16μm.温度为340、370℃时,合金发生了回复,无明显的再结晶发生,且退火温度越低,所保留的位错密度越高,81%轧制变形量的合金再结晶晶粒尺寸约为11μm.     

超塑预处理01420铝锂合金层状晶粒组织的形成机制

采用形变热处理法制备01420铝锂合金细晶板材,研究时效第二相对位错分布和层状再结晶组织形成的影响.结果表明时效第二相沿板材法向呈梯度分布,在表面层分布均匀且含量较大,而在中心层主要沿平行轧制方向分布且含量较小;第二组粒子的这种分布方式导致轧制过程中在其周围形成的高应变区域也呈梯度分布,这是导致层状再结晶组织形成的主要原因;板材表面层为细小等轴的再结晶晶粒,平均粒径约为10 μm;板材中心层再结晶晶粒呈长条状,平均尺寸约为30 μm×12 μm;各层约占板材总厚度的1/3.