Evaluation of hardness and precipitation in Zn-modified Al2024 alloy after plastic deformation and heat treatments

This paper reports changes in the hardness values and precipitation of the Al-2024 alloy when it is modified with Zn addition (0.25, 0.50 and 0.75 wt%) and plastic deformation (hot-50% and cold-5 and 15%). It is reported increases in the hardness values by Zn addition. Furthermore, a double hardening peak with bimodal distribution of precipitates associated with the continuous process of nucleation and growth of the S and S' phases is observed. (C) 2017 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.