Interface precipitation and corrosion mechanisms in a model Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy strengthened by TiC particles

Interface precipitation and corrosion behaviors in the cast and extruded TiCp/7050 composites are compre-hensively investigated herein. Aging precipitates are inclined to segregate at alpha-Al/TiC interfaces and preferential dissolution of interface precipitates aggravates localized corrosion susceptibility of composites. Moreover, dis-tribution configurations of TiC affect corrosion resistance of composites, being composites with dispersively distributed TiC have better corrosion resistance compared to those in which the particles are distributed forming networks or chains. This work discloses the relationship between interfacial precipitation and corrosion mech-anisms in the composites, which should shed light on designing and fabricating 7xxx composites with high mechanical and corrosion performance.

Automated summary

This study comprehensively investigates the interface precipitation and corrosion behaviors in cast and extruded TiCp/7050 composites, revealing the segregation and preferential dissolution of aging precipitates at interfaces, as well as the impact of TiC distribution configurations on corrosion resistance, providing insights for designing and fabricating high-performance composites.