Materials Science and Engineering A338 (2002) 8 /16

www.elsevier.com/locate/msea

Microstructure and mechanical properties of a 5754 aluminum alloy

modified by Sc and Zr additions
Christian B. Fuller a,*, Albert R. Krause b, David C. Dunand a, David N. Seidman a
a
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 2225 North Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208-3108, USA
b
Ford Motor Company, Scientific Research Laboratory, Dearborn, MI 48124, USA

Received 24 July 2001

Abstract

The effects of various heat treatments upon the microstructure and mechanical properties of a rolled 5754 aluminum alloy
modified with 0.23 wt.% Sc and 0.22 wt.% Zr were investigated. Grain size, as well as precipitate size, type, and morphology were
observed by optical and transmission electron microscopies. Two populations of the Al3Sc1
x Zrx phase were present: (i) large
incoherent precipitates formed during solidification and hot-rolling; and (ii) fine coherent precipitates formed from secondary
precipitation, which improved alloy strength, as shown by hardness, tensile, and fatigue measurements. Aging, however, also
produced two types of grain-boundary precipitates, Al6Mn and b-Al3Mg2, which contributed to poorer fatigue behavior and
reduced ductility. # 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Al /Sc /Zr alloys; Fatigue (materials); Mechanical properties; Aluminum alloys; Microstructural properties

1. Introduction tionizing, the grain-boundary pinning capability of

Al3Sc precipitates decreases after long-term annealing,
New aluminum alloys that exhibit an optimal combi- such as that required for the production of 5xxx series
nation of strength, fatigue resistance, formability, and aluminum alloys [5]. This issue is addressed by improv-
corrosion resistance are desirable for the ground-vehicle ing the thermal stability of Al3Sc precipitates, for
industry. One series of aluminum alloys currently in use example, by adding zirconium to the alloy. This element
is the 5xxx series, which was first developed for substitutes for scandium (for up to half of the scandium
structural applications where corrosion resistance is atoms [6]) to form Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates, which are
important [1]. These alloys derive their strength from more resistant to coarsening than binary Al3Sc precipi-
the solid-solution strengthening due to magnesium. tates [7]. Addition of Zr also decreases the price of the
Other alloying elements such as chromium, manganese, alloying additions.
and zirconium are added for the control of grain and While several researchers have shown that zirconium
subgrain structures, which also contribute to strength- and scandium additions increase the recrystallization
ening. One approach toward improving the strength and resistance and yield strength of 5xxx alloys [2,8,9], little
recrystallization resistance of 5xxx aluminum alloys is to information exists on the fatigue properties of these
add small quantities of scandium [2]. Upon aging, fine alloys. In a study by Wirtz et al. [10], an Al /4.0Mg /
coherent Al3Sc precipitates form with the ordered L12 0.3Sc (wt.%) alloy was found to exhibit a higher
resistance against fatigue crack nucleation than a
structure, a lattice parameter misfit of 1.26% with Al [3],
6013-T6 aluminum alloy. The increased fatigue resis-
and a high stability up to the melting temperature of
tance of the Al /Mg /Sc alloy was attributed to its very
aluminum [4]. Due, however, to coarsening and solu-
fine grain structure, compared to the coarser-grained
6013-T6 alloy. Since the combined additions of scan-
* Corresponding author. Tel.: /1-847-491-3575; fax: /1-847-467-
dium and zirconium have been shown to improve the
2269. yield strength and recrystallization resistance of alumi-
E-mail address: [email protected] (C.B. Fuller). num alloys, they may also improve the fatigue proper-
0921-5093/02/$ - see front matter # 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 9 2 1 - 5 0 9 3 ( 0 2 ) 0 0 0 5 6 - 4
 C.B. Fuller et al. / Materials Science and Engineering A338 (2002) 8 /16 9

ties. The present research tests this hypothesis by mounted, such that the L or ST direction was parallel
investigating the variation of microstructural and me- to the observed plane. Polishing was performed with SiC
chanical properties when scandium and zirconium paper and alumina slurries to obtain a surface finish of
additions are made to a 5754 aluminum alloy subjected 0.03 mm. Polished samples were etched with Keller’s
to various thermo-mechanical treatments. solution (3 vol.% hydrofluoric acid and 2 vol.% nitric
acid in water) or electrolytically etched with Barker’s
solution (5 vol.% fluoroboric acid in water) and
2. Experimental procedures observed under cross-polarized light. These samples
were also examined with a scanning electron microscope
The alloy was fabricated by Canmet (Ottawa, Ont., (SEM), operating at 12 kV, to identify large precipitates.
Canada) in 6.3-mm thick sheets with the composition Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimens
given in Table 1. The following thermo-mechanical were cut with their foil normals perpendicular to the
treatments were reported by the supplier. The cast alloy rolling direction, mechanically thinned to 150 microns,
was homogenized for one h at 400 8C, hot rolled on an and then jet-electropolished with an electrolyte of 5
MTL single-stand reversing mill operating at a roller vol.% perchloric acid in methanol at a temperature of
/
speed of 45 rpm with a lubricant, using a series of 30 8C. Samples were observed utilizing a JEOL 2000
reductions no greater than 24% per pass. Anneals at FX or a Hitachi H-8100 TEM operating at 200 kV. In
400 8C were performed after every third pass to restore all cases, the presence of Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates was
ductility, after which the alloy was air-cooled to ambient determined by dark-field imaging utilizing the (100) and
temperature. Rolling was performed until a final reduc- (110) L12 superlattice diffraction spots of the precipi-
tion of 1030% was achieved. Sample directions are given tates. Identification of other phases (Al6Mn and b-
as L for the long direction (the rolling direction), ST for Al3Mg2) was performed by employing a combination of
the short transverse direction (the thickness of the energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and se-
plate), and LT for the long transverse (the width of lected area electron diffraction patterns.
the plate). The as-rolled sheets were subjected to one of
five heat treatments in this study: (1) aging at 288 8C
for 72 h; (2) aging at 300 8C for 72 h; (3) annealing at
3. Results and discussion
600 8C for 45 min; or (4 and 5) a combination of the
previous annealing treatment and one of the two above
aging treatments. All heat treatments were terminated 3.1. Microstructure
by quenching the samples into ice water.
Mechanical testing was performed at room tempera-
ture with the loading axis parallel to the rolling direction 3.1.1. Optical microscopy
(L). Electro-discharge machining (EDM) was used to The as-rolled material exhibits a dense pancake-
create tensile samples with a gauge length of 84.2 mm, a shaped grain structure, which is typical of as-rolled
width of 12.8 mm, and a thickness of 6.3 mm. Two material (Fig. 1). Observation along the L-direction does
samples for each heat-treatment were tested using an not yield distinct demarcations among grains. Isolated
extensometer, in accordance with ASTM standard E-8. primary Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates, which formed upon
Flat-sheet fatigue specimens with a minimum rectangu-
lar cross-section of 6.3 mm by 6.3 mm were cut by EDM
and were tested with an extensometer in accordance
with ASTM standard E-606. Fatigue tests were per-
formed with a closed loop, servo-hydraulic testing
machine. Samples were tested with fully reversed (R /

/1), constant strain cycles, which employed sinusoidal
wave-forms at a frequency of 0.1 /10 Hz, depending on
the strain amplitude.
Samples for optical microscopy and hardness mea-
surements were sectioned from the sheets and cold

Table 1
Nominal chemical composition of modified 5754 alloy (in wt.%)

Mg Mn Sc Zr Al

3.42 0.63 0.23 0.22 Balance Fig. 1. Optical micrograph of the modified 5754 alloy in the as-rolled
state showing the grain structure in the ST direction (Keller’s etch).
10 C.B. Fuller et al. / Materials Science and Engineering A338 (2002) 8 /16

solidification, are observed to have a cuboidal shape and

an edge length varying from 2 to 10 mm.
Aging the alloy at 288 8C for 72 h produces little
change in the grain structure, precipitate size, and
distribution from the as-rolled condition. The sample
aged at 300 8C for 72 h exhibits, however, the first signs
of recrystallization, as evidenced by regions consisting of
several crystallographic orientations, as shown by the
mixing of interference colors within each etched region
(Fig. 2a, shown in grayscale). Etching of the sample
aged at 300 8C with Keller’s solution reveals a network
of precipitates along the region’s boundary (Fig. 2b,
arrow 1). Also shown in Fig. 2b is a primary
Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitate (arrow 2), which is most likely Fig. 3. Optical micrograph of the modified 5754 alloy annealed at
formed during solidification of the ingot and a 600 8C for 45 min exhibiting a recrystallized grain structure (Barker’s
b-Al3Mg2 precipitate (arrow 3). etch).
The annealing treatment (600 8C for 45 min) causes
recrystallization, which may be followed by some grain
growth (Fig. 3), with a grain areal density of 12219/413
grains mm
2. Etching of this sample with Keller’s
solution does not reveal a network of precipitates along
the grain boundaries. Further aging the 600 8C an-
nealed alloys at 288 8C or 300 8C for 72 h, (Fig. 4a and
b, respectively) may result in further grain growth (grain

Fig. 4. Optical micrograph of elongated grains produced by annealing

the modified 5754 alloy at 600 8C for 45 min and aging at: (a) 288 8C
for 72 h; or (b) 300 8C for 72 h (both Barker’s etch).

areal density of 1789/27 grains mm
2) and produces

Fig. 2. Optical micrograph of the modified 5754 alloy aged at 300 8C more elongated grains in comparison to those of the
for 72 h illustrating: (a) large grains (Barker’s etch); and (b) grain
annealing heat-treatment, (Fig. 3). Both aging treat-
boundary precipitates (arrow 1) (Keller’s etch). Also shown in (b) are a
primary Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitate (arrow 2) and a b-Al3Mg2 precipitate ments lead to the presence of precipitate networks along
(arrow 3). the grain boundaries, as discussed below.
 C.B. Fuller et al. / Materials Science and Engineering A338 (2002) 8 /16 11

3.1.2. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)

Four specimens were observed by TEM with the
following heat treatments: (1) as-rolled; (2) aged at
288 8C for 72 h.; (3) annealed at 600 8C for 45 min; or
(4) annealed at 600 8C for 45 min followed by aging at
288 8C for 72 h. All four samples contained second-
phase precipitates with Al6Mn and Al3Sc1
x Zrx com-
positions. The Al6Mn precipitates showed no change in
size (1 mm/0.7 mm) for all four heat treatments. There
was, however, a difference in the size and morphology of
the Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates for each specimen, as
listed in Fig. 5.
The as-rolled sample exhibited Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipi-
tates in the form of incoherent rods (Fig. 6, arrow A)
Fig. 6. Centered superlattice dark-field TEM micrograph, [111] zone
with a length of 1729/16 nm, a diameter of 319/2 nm, axis, of the modified 5754 alloy in the as-rolled state, illustrating the
and a corresponding length-to-diameter aspect ratio of presence of Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates as rod-shaped precipitates
about 6. These rods were found to be oriented parallel to (arrow A) and finer spheroidal precipitates (arrow B).
the L-direction of the alloy. Also observed were smaller
coherent, Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates (Fig. 6, arrow B,
259/3 nm diameter), and a dense network of subgrains
(Fig. 7), which formed during the hot-rolling process.
The presence of subgrain boundaries was confirmed by
employing TEM analyses of crystal disorientations as
indicated by electron diffraction patterns; an example of
a subgrain boundary is given in Fig. 7 where a small
variation in disorientation, while remaining near the
[113] zone axis, was detected while moving across this
boundary from point A to B.
Aging of the as-rolled material (at 288 8C for 72 h)
resulted in three morphologies for the Al3Sc1
x Zrx
precipitates (Fig. 8). Both Al3Sc1
x Zrx morphologies
present in the as-rolled alloy were found (Fig. 5); rod-
shaped precipitates (Fig. 8b), with an increased length
and a diameter similar to the rods in the rolled alloy and
incoherent spheroidal Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates, with an
increased diameter over the precipitates in the rolled
alloy (and a attendant loss of coherency). Third, a new
population of fine coherent Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates

Fig. 7. Centered bright-field TEM micrograph, [113] zone axis, of the

modified 5754 alloy in the as-rolled state, illustrating the presence of
subgrain boundaries. Points A and B mark the locations of the crystal
disorientation analyses, performed to confirm the presence of subgrain
boundaries.

(8.79/0.8 nm diameter) was present. The fine precipi-

tates were found to be located primarily within small
grains, as seen in Fig. 8a. It is likely that the incoherent
Fig. 5. Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitate evolution in modified 5754 alloys as a
Al3Sc1
x Zrx rods and large spheroids depleted the
function of heat-treatment to the as-rolled alloy. Arrows illustrate how
precipitates change during the indicated heat-treatment, (see text for scandium and zirconium concentrations in their vicinity
full explanation). The error ranges denote the errors in measurements leaving a non-uniform distribution of the fine coherent
of the precipitates (error associated with NIH image, 4% in this study) Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates.
plus one standard deviation of the precipitate distribution divided by The main purpose of the 600 8C annealing treatment
the square root of the number of precipitates in the distribution. The
superscript plus sign (  ) indicates that the precipitates are coherent was to utilize recrystallization to increase the as-rolled
and N.Obs. denotes that precipitates are not observed. grain size and enable easier mechanical processing,
12 C.B. Fuller et al. / Materials Science and Engineering A338 (2002) 8 /16

Fig. 8. Centered superlattice dark-field TEM micrograph, [111] zone

axis, of Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates after aging at 288 8C for 72 h
illustrating: (a) fine coherent Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates and (b)
incoherent rod Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates.
Fig. 10. Two-beam, g/[200], superlattice dark-field TEM micrograph
which was achieved as Fig. 3 demonstrates. A TEM of Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates present after annealing (600 8C for 45
examination of the recrystallized structure indicated that min) and aging (288 8C for 72 h). Both incoherent spheroidal
precipitates and fine coherent precipitates are observed.
both subgrain and dislocation networks have been
eliminated during the annealing heat-treatment, so that
tated during the 288 8C treatment. The smaller pre-
the strengthening of the annealed and aged sample can
cipitates are coherent, as indicated by the strain-field
be primarily attributed to the small grain size and the
contrast (so-called Ashby /Brown or coffee-bean con-
presence of precipitates. Annealing produced incoherent
trast) associated with each precipitate.
spheroidal Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates with a 429/3 nm
The evolution of the Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitate mor-
diameter, some of which can be observed pinning grain
phology is given in Fig. 5 and a possible explanation for
boundaries (Fig. 9). Subsequent aging at 288 8C
this evolution is outlined here. The large rod-like
produced two populations of Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates precipitates (1729/16 nm /319/2 nm) in the as-rolled
(Fig. 10), one with large diameters (549/5 nm), probably alloy are most likely the result of a discontinuous
formed initially during the 600 8C anneal and some- precipitation mechanism (also known as cellular pre-
what grown in size during aging, and one with a smaller cipitation), which has been observed previously in the
size (12.39/0.6 nm diameter), which probably precipi- Al /Sc [3] and Al /Zr systems [11]. Cellular precipitation
occurs when a supersaturated solid-solution decomposes
into matrix and precipitate phases behind an advancing
grain boundary [12]. The numerous short-term, inter-
mediate 400 8C aging treatments performed between
rolling passes also produced the second population of
smaller spheroidal precipitates (259/3 nm diameter).
Long-term aging of this as-rolled structure at 288 8C
led to modest growth of these large incoherent rods and
spheroids, while the fine coherent spheroids formed in
solute-rich regions without prior incoherent precipitates.
Annealing of the as-rolled alloy at 600 8C resulted in
the disappearance of the fine coherent precipitates by
dissolution, as the solid-solubility of Sc and Zr increases
with increasing temperature. The spheroidal precipitates
are most probably the result of splitting and spheroidiz-
ing of the rods with a high surface-to-volume ratio, thus
recovering a precipitate shape with higher stability than
the rods. A complete dissolution followed by precipita-
tion is less likely, because a temperature of 600 8C is not
high enough to dissolve completely the large
Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates [13]. The ratio of the volumes
Fig. 9. Two-beam, g/[200], bright-field TEM micrograph of inco-
of the rods (in the as-rolled plus aged alloy) to spheroids
herent spheroidal Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates after annealing at 600 8C (in the annealed alloy) gives a value of 4.5; that is each
for 72 h. rod produces four to five spheroids. Long lines of
 C.B. Fuller et al. / Materials Science and Engineering A338 (2002) 8 /16 13

spherical precipitates are thus not expected and are

indeed not observed. Subsequent aging at 288 8C for
72 h after annealing at 600 8C for 45 min resulted in
growth of the incoherent spheroidal precipitates (from
429/3 to 549/5 nm diameter) formed during annealing,
and precipitation of coherent precipitates (12.39/0.6 nm
diameter), similar in size to those observed upon aging
of the as-rolled alloy (8.79/0.8 nm diameter).
The goal of the aging treatments was to precipitate
scandium and zirconium present in solid solution after
rolling or annealing to increase the strength of the alloy.
As is apparent, however, from the optical micrographs
(Fig. 2b), the aging treatments also resulted in precipi-
tate networks at grain boundaries. TEM examination of
the grain boundaries revealed two types of grain
boundary precipitates: (i) large cuboidal Al6Mn pre-
cipitates (1 mm diameter); and (ii) small, Mn containing
precipitates (100 nm diameter). The large precipitates, Fig. 11. Hardness of modified 5754 alloy with indicated heat treat-
which are present in all of the alloys we studied, are ments.
expected to form in 5754 alloys and are used for control
of subgrain and grain structures during alloy processing are the Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates that exist in two
[1]. The small Mn-containing precipitates result from the different populations: large incoherent rods or spher-
aging treatments and are not observed in the as-rolled oids, which provide Orowan strengthening, and small
and annealed alloys. SEM observations revealed deco- coherent spheroidal precipitates, which strengthen the
rated grain boundaries as shown in Fig. 2b, which alloy by the shearing or Orowan looping mechanisms.
consist of the Al6Mn phase mentioned above and a The second contribution to strengthening is from both
larger (3 /26 mm in diameter) b-Al3Mg2 phase. The subgrain and grain boundaries, and the third contribu-
formation of a precipitate network along grain bound- tion is from dislocation networks (forest dislocation
aries is expected to have a negative effect on the hardening).
mechanical properties of the alloy, as discussed below. The tensile properties of the unmodified 5754 alloy in
the O-tempered state (343 8C for 1 h) and of the
3.2. Mechanical properties modified 5754 specimens with four different heat treat-
ments described above (as-rolled, aged at 288 8C for 72
3.2.1. Hardness h, annealed at 600 8C for 45 min, or a combination of
Vickers microhardness measurements were used as an the latter two treatments) are displayed in Fig. 12. A
initial assessment of the effect of the different heat comparison of the tensile properties with the hardness
treatments upon mechanical properties (Fig. 11). The results indicates similar trends that can be correlated
highest hardness was measured in the as-rolled material.
The lowest hardness was observed after the 45 min.
anneal at 600 8C, as expected since this treatment is
effective in dissolving the fine precipitates (Fig. 5),
recrystallizing the grain structure (Fig. 3), decreasing
the dislocation density, and eliminating subgrains. The
increase in hardness of the alloys aged at 300 or 288 8C,
after the 600 8C annealing treatment, indicates that the
fine Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates make a large contribution
to the strength of the alloy. It is also noted that a 12 8C
difference (300 vs. 288 8C) has a significant effect on the
number density of precipitates formed, as observed by
the differences in hardness and with TEM, and as
previously reported by Hyland [4] and Marquis and
Seidman [14] in other Al(Sc) alloys.

3.2.2. Tensile properties

The microstructures discussed above demonstrate Fig. 12. Tensile properties of modified 5754 and baseline 5754-O
that there are three contributions to strengthening. First alloys with indicated heat treatments.
14 C.B. Fuller et al. / Materials Science and Engineering A338 (2002) 8 /16

with the strengthening contributions as noted above.

The high strength of the as-rolled alloy stems from
contributions from precipitates, a high density of grain
and subgrain boundaries (due to extensive hot working
and pinning by precipitates), and the presence of
dislocation networks formed during hot-working. Aging
of the as-rolled alloy (288 8C for 72 h) leads to
precipitation of the coherent fine Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipi-
tates, which increases the contribution of coherent
precipitate strengthening. Also, recrystallization has
begun (Fig. 2), which decreases the contribution of
grain structures to strengthening. Furthermore, the
aging time was sufficiently long to reduce the dislocation
density present in the material. Therefore, the diminu-
tion in tensile properties from the as-rolled to the aged
state originates from a net decrease in all three
contributions to strengthening.
Annealing of the as-rolled alloy results in the dissolu- Fig. 13. A double logarithmic plot of strain amplitude versus number
tion of the fine Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates (eliminating of cycles to failure for modified 5754 and unmodified 5754-O alloys
with indicated heat treatments; arrows indicate samples that did not
completely the coherent precipitate contribution) and a fracture.
transformation of the rods into spheroids with smaller
interprecipitate spacings, resulting in a modest increase As shown in Fig. 11, all the heat treatments of the
of strengthening. Grains have recrystallized (Fig. 3), modified 5754 alloy have a higher static strength than
while the subgrain and dislocation densities have been
the 5754-O alloy. However, the fatigue results in Fig. 13
effectively eliminated, both of which contribute to a
indicate that not all heat treatments to the modified
decrease in strengthening. The net effect is a further
5754 alloy are beneficial to fatigue resistance: the
decrease in strength, since the annealed alloy is the
annealed modified alloy has a fatigue life two to five
weakest of all the alloys studied. Subsequent aging of
times lower than the control alloy. Strain controlled
the annealed alloy at 288 8C for 72 h leads to the
fatigue is more sensitive to microstructural flaws (due to
formation of fine coherent Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates
the localized effect of stress on the microstructure) than
and perhaps grain growth. Thus, as seen in the
stress-controlled fatigue and static strength, which are
improvement in tensile properties upon aging, the fine
affected by nominal stresses and strains [15]. Thus,
precipitate contribution to the strength of this alloy
overcomes the strength decrease due to recrystallization strain-controlled fatigue allows the separation of micro-
and perhaps grain growth. structural components that are effective in inhibiting
An unexpected result was the reduction of ductility fatigue and those that contribute to flaws. In the case of
upon heat-treatment (Fig. 12), since ductility generally the modified 5754 alloys, strain-controlled fatigue can
increases when strength decreases. This is evidence that reveal local microstructural flaws that form as a result of
embrittlement is occurring, which is a result of grain heat-treatment of the as-rolled alloy. The presence of
boundary precipitation. these flaws is confirmed by the relatively high amount of
scatter in the fatigue data presented in Fig. 13, especially
for the annealed and aged specimens. Fractography
3.2.3. Fatigue properties revealed that a majority of the failures were the result of
The fatigue behavior of modified 5754 specimens with cracks nucleating at, or near, large b-Al3Mg2 precipi-
three different heat treatments (as-rolled, 600 8C for 45 tates. An example of a crack nucleation region is shown
min, or 600 8C for 45 min plus 288 8C for 72 h) are in Fig. 14, where the crack origin (circled area) is clearly
compared with that of the 5754-O alloy in Fig. 13. associated with a group of b-Al3Mg2 precipitates
Fatigue resistance was the greatest for the as-rolled (arrow). The fatigue data scatter is minimal for the as-
specimens and the lowest for the annealed specimens, rolled alloy. This indicates that attempting to improve
with the annealed and aged specimens in an intermediate the microstructure and grain-shape for easier mechan-
position. As expected, the same ranking is observed in ical processing of this material results in an alloy with
terms of static strength, which was justified previously in localized flaws, which could enhance the nucleation of
terms of strengthening mechanisms. The fatigue life of cracks; that is, at the surfaces of hard precipitates in a
the as-rolled alloy is two to ten times longer than that of soft matrix, on voids present along grain boundaries, or
the control 5754-O alloy, the improvement increasing along grain boundaries as a result of interconnecting
with decreasing strain amplitude. grain boundary precipitates.
 C.B. Fuller et al. / Materials Science and Engineering A338 (2002) 8 /16 15

Fig. 14. Backscattered electron SEM micrograph of the fracture

surface of a fatigue tested modified 5754 alloy, which was annealed Fig. 15. A plot of stress amplitude versus strain amplitude for
at 600 8C for 45 min and aged at 300 8C 72 h and tested at a strain modified 5754 and unmodified 5754-O alloys with indicated heat
amplitude of 4/10
3 after 6669 cycles. Circular region indicates the treatments.
area of crack origin and the arrow denotes a b-Al3Mg2 precipitate,
where crack was most likely nucleated.
rolled alloy resulted in a small amount of cyclic hard-
ening, while the nearly obstacle-free structure of the
On a microstructural basis, the high-cycle regime is annealed alloy exhibited a larger amount of cyclic
most dependent on the strength of the matrix. In the hardening. The existence of cyclic hardening can be
low-cycle regime, however, the material response is attributed to the work-hardening effects of obstacles,
dependent on the ability of the material to withstand whereby dislocations are pinned and segments of mobile
plastic deformation. In the unmodified 5754 alloy, the dislocations subsequently form dislocation pile-ups [16].
matrix strength is dictated mainly by the Mg concentra- Cyclic hardening continues until the dislocation beha-
tion and the grain and perhaps subgrain boundaries vior is stabilized, at which time the alloys exhibit a
being pinned by the relatively coarse precipitates (at constant stress response level until crack nucleation
least 1 mm diameter). occurs. Exceptions to this behavior are exhibited by Al /
Alternatively, in the modified alloys, Al3Sc1-x Zrx Li /Cu alloys [17], which soften cyclically after pro-
precipitates further affect strength directly by interacting longed fatigue as a result of shearing of the ordered
with dislocations, and indirectly, by affecting grain and Al3Li (L12 structure) precipitates to such an extent that
subgrain size, thus explaining the strong effect of heat- they no longer contribute to the inhibition of dislocation
treatment upon fatigue behavior. The relative effect of motion. Such softening is not observed in the modified
grain boundaries and fine precipitates is illustrated by 5754 alloy studied here, indicating that the ordered
comparing the annealed specimens to the more fatigue Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates (with the same L12 structure
resistant, annealed and aged specimens. The latter as Al3Li) are not sheared, thus maintaining a stable
samples contain fine coherent Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates cyclic behavior throughout the fatigue life of the alloy.
and have nearly a 2.6-fold larger grain size than the The cyclic stress /strain responses of modified 5754
annealed samples, which have no fine precipitates. specimens with two different heat treatments (as-rolled
Therefore, the positive effect of coherent Al3Sc1
x Zrx and 600 8C for 45 min plus 288 8C for 72 h) are
precipitates in inhibiting fatigue more than compensates compared with that of the control 5754-O alloy in Fig.
the negative effect due to the increase in grain size, 15, in which the stress amplitude is determined from the
which is known to decrease fatigue resistance. Overall, cyclic hysteresis loop recorded near the fatigue half-life
fine Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates contribute more to fati- of the specimen. These curves demonstrate that the as-
gue resistance than does grain size. Subgrains, however, rolled alloy has the highest degree of hardening, while
contribute more to fatigue resistance than the presence the 5754-O alloy has the lowest.
of fine Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates. Therefore, the addi-
tion of Sc and Zr have both indirect and direct effects on
the optimal fatigue strength of the as-rolled alloy.
Cyclic hardening occurred in all of the alloys tested, 4. Conclusions
regardless of heat-treatment. The initial stress response
of each alloy is, however, proportional to the extent of In this work, the evolution of microstructure and
strengthening in the alloys. The high precipitate number mechanical properties was studied as a function of heat
density and small subgrain diameters observed in the as- treatment in a Sc and Zr modified 5754 aluminum alloy,
16 C.B. Fuller et al. / Materials Science and Engineering A338 (2002) 8 /16

with a composition of Al /3.42Mg /0.63Mn /0.23Sc / experimental assistance at Ford Motor Company,
0.22Zr (in wt.%). Scientific Research Laboratory. Funding from the US
Two populations of Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates were Department of Energy, Basic Energy Sciences (grant no.
present: (i) large incoherent precipitates (in the form of DE-FG02-98ER45721 to Northwestern University) is
rods and spheroids in the as-rolled plus aged alloy and also gratefully acknowledged.
rods in the as-rolled alloy; the rods break into spheroids
in the annealed and annealed plus aged alloys); and (ii)
fine coherent Al3Sc1
x Zrx precipitates (observed in all
but the annealed alloy). Subgrain boundaries were References
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