| Title |
Effect of Pre-Strain on Aging and Mechanical Properties for AA 2026 |
| Authors |
김하늘(Ha-neul Kim); 강현우(Hyeon-woo Kang); 장병록(Byoung-lok Jang); 김희국(Hee-kook Kim) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.3365/KJMM.2025.63.7.531 |
| ISSN |
1738-8228(ISSN), 2288-8241(eISSN) |
| Keywords |
Aluminum alloy; Strengthening; Precipitates; Pre-strain; Microstructure |
| Abstract |
This study explores a method to enhance the precipitation hardening of AA 2026, an aluminum alloy superior to AA 2024, which is utilized in aerospace structural applications due to its high specific strength and favorable precipitation hardening characteristics. The objective was to improve the alloy's mechanical properties by applying cold deformation prior to aging treatment, aiming to achieve weight reduction while meeting required strength specifications. The experimental procedure involved a solution heat treatment at 500℃ for 4 hours, followed by cold tensile deformation ranging from 0% to 10%. Aging treatments included both natural aging, conducted at room temperature for over 168 hours, and artificial aging at 190℃ for durations of 4 and 8 hours. Results indicated that during natural aging, the yield strength of AA 2026 increased in proportion to the extent of prior deformation, with minimal variation in the strengthening effect across different deformation levels. In contrast, artificial aging led to a pronounced increase in yield strength that correlated with the amount of prior deformation, highlighting significant differences in both the aging strengthening effect and the aging kinetics. The findings suggest that the optimal aging condition for achieving a balance between elongation and strength is a pre-deformation of 3-5% followed by artificial aging at 190℃ for 4 hours. Under these conditions, the alloy attained a yield strength exceeding 500 MPa while maintaining an elongation of approximately 10%, demonstrating the potential for enhanced performance in aerospace structural applications.(Received 18 March, 2025; Accepted 10 June, 2025) |