Development of Al-Mn-Mg 3004 alloy for applications at elevated temperature via dispersoid strengthening

In this study, the potential applications of Al-Mn-Mg 3004 alloy at elevated temperature have been evaluated through the systematic study of the precipitation behavior of alpha-Al(MnFe) Si dispersoids and their effect on material properties during precipitation treatment and long-term thermal holding. The results demonstrate a significant dispersion strengthening effect caused by the precipitation of fine uniformly distributed dispersoids during precipitation treatment. The peak compression yield strength (YS) at 300 degrees C of the experimental 3004 alloy can reach as high as 78 MPa due to a large volume fraction (similar to 2.95 vol.%) of alpha-Al(MnFe) Si dispersoids. The dispersoids are found to be thermally stable at 300 degrees C for up to 1000 h of holding, leading to consistently high mechanical performance and creep resistance. The superior and stable YS and creep resistance at 300 degrees C enables the 3004 alloy to be applied to weight-sensitive applications at elevated temperatures. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.