The Effect of Elastic Strain and Small Plastic Deformation on Tensile Strength of a Lean Al-Mg-Si Alloy

Al-Mg-Si alloys are usually formed into their final shape by rolling or extrusion. After extrusion, the aluminium profiles are usually straightened, causing the material to be subjected to a small plastic deformation. This study demonstrates the positive effect on strength that can be obtained from such small deformation levels or from only elastically straining the material. Elastic straining of a lean Al-Mg-Si alloy, when performed immediately after solution heat treatment, enhances the material yield strength after artificial ageing to T6. Transmission electron microscopy shows that this effect can be attributed to a higher number density and finer dispersion of the age-hardening precipitate needles. Furthermore, introducing a small plastic deformation of 1% after solution heat treatment results in a comparable strength increase to elastically straining the material. In this case, however, the strength increase is due to the increased dislocation density, which compensates for a lower density of precipitate needles. Finally, by combining plastic deformation with a succeeding elastic strain, we demonstrate how elastic strain can cause an on-set of dislocation cell formation in this material.