Effect of cerium addition on microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy

Effect of cerium addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy have been investigated. In this study, aluminum alloys with up to 0.4% cerium content have been prepared by melting, metal mould casting followed by thermo-mechanical processing. The alloys were extensively characterized by optical and transmission electron microscopy, followed by mechanical property examination by tensile tests as well as nanoindentation tests. It was observed that cerium addition results in up to 5% grain refinement of the cast dendritic structure as well as up to 38% refinement of the heat treated microstructure. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has revealed the uniform distribution of fine GP zones and some semi coherent beta(MgZn2) precipitates in the Al rich matrix. Further TEM results show that when the Ce content was changed from 0.1% to 0.4%, precipitate size increased from 5 to 50nm and the precipitate morphology changed from spherical to needle shape. Evaluation of mechanical properties through tensile and nano-indentation tests have exhibited that both Young's modulus and tensile strength increases with Ce addition up to 0.3% and subsequently decrease.