Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters) ›› 2020, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (5): 659-670.DOI: 10.1007/s40195-020-01007-1

• Original Paper • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Synergistic Balance of Strength and Corrosion Resistance in Al-Mg-Er Alloys

Haifei Zhou1, Zhouhai Qian1, Mengcheng Zhou2, Xuebing Liu2, Yong Li2, Xinfang Zhang2()   

  1. 1Zhejing Electric Power Corporation Research Institute, Hangzhou 310014, China
    2State Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallurgy, School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
  • Received:2019-10-11 Revised:2019-11-15 Online:2020-05-10 Published:2020-05-25
  • Contact: Xinfang Zhang

Abstract:

High-strength, corrosion-resistant, and lightweight Al-Mg alloys perform an important function in harsh coastal service environments. Corrosion resistance is generally inversely correlated with strength; hence, it is difficult to simultaneously optimize both. In this study, a low-magnesium Er-containing Al-based alloy that is stronger and more corrosion resistant than Al-based alloys have been reported. The alloy contains Er, and the precipitation of Al3Er within a face-centered cubic matrix is obtained by a series of smelting-casting, heat treatment, and rolling processes. It is presumed that the strengthening phase of Al3Er pinning dislocations improves alloy strength. It also increases the recrystallization temperature of cold-rolled matrix and induces the distribution of small-angle grain boundaries, thus allowing the alloy to achieve excellent environmental corrosion resistance. As a result, strength and corrosion resistance are simultaneously improved.

Key words: Al-Mg alloy, Al3Er, Strength, Corrosion resistance, Er