Solute clustering behaviour during natural ageing in Al-Cu alloys containing Sc and Zr

IF 5.3 2区材料科学 Q2 MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Scripta Materialia Pub Date : 2025-05-16 DOI:10.1016/j.scriptamat.2025.116764

Lu Jiang , Kathleen Wood , Anna Sokolova , Thomas Dorin

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of scandium (Sc) and zirconium (Zr) microalloying on solute clustering in Al-Cu alloys during natural ageing. Using atom probe tomography (APT), we reveal a full suppression of Cu-rich cluster formation in the AlCuScZr alloy compared to its Sc- and Zr-free counterpart. Instead, a distinct type of cluster, comprising Si, Sc and Zr forms, preferentially at Al₃(Sc, Zr) dispersoids/Al interfaces, driven by strong Si-Sc-vacancy and Si-Zr-vacancy binding energies. These sites act as vacancy traps, redirecting clustering pathways away from the Cu-rich clusters typically observed in Al-Cu alloys. Small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) indicates suggest that the natural ageing kinetics in the AlCuScZr alloys are significantly delayed, likely due to the limited availability of Si, Sc and Zr solutes in the matrix. As a result, the AlCuScZr alloy exhibits slower hardening response during natural ageing. This is the first report of Si-Sc-Zr cluster formation during natural ageing in Al alloys, providing critical insights into how dispersoids, solute interactions, and vacancies govern early-stage clustering and mechanical evolution.

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含Sc和Zr的Al-Cu合金自然时效过程中的溶质聚类行为

研究了自然时效过程中钪（Sc）和锆（Zr）微合金化对Al-Cu合金溶质团簇的影响。使用原子探针断层扫描（APT），我们发现与不含Sc和zr的合金相比，AlCuScZr合金中富cu簇的形成完全受到抑制。相反，在强大的Si-Sc-空位和Si-Zr-空位结合能驱动下，一种由Si， Sc和Zr形式组成的独特类型的团簇优先出现在Al3（Sc, Zr）弥散体/Al界面上。这些位点充当空位陷阱，重定向聚集路径，使其远离在Al-Cu合金中通常观察到的富cu簇。小角度x射线散射（SAXS）表明，AlCuScZr合金的自然时效动力学明显延迟，可能是由于基体中Si、Sc和Zr溶质的可用性有限。结果表明，AlCuScZr合金在自然时效过程中表现出较慢的硬化响应。这是第一个关于Si-Sc-Zr在铝合金自然时效过程中形成团簇的报告，为分散体、溶质相互作用和空位如何控制早期团簇和机械演化提供了重要的见解。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Scripta Materialia 工程技术-材料科学：综合

CiteScore

11.40

自引率

5.00%

发文量

581

审稿时长

34 days

期刊介绍： Scripta Materialia is a LETTERS journal of Acta Materialia, providing a forum for the rapid publication of short communications on the relationship between the structure and the properties of inorganic materials. The emphasis is on originality rather than incremental research. Short reports on the development of materials with novel or substantially improved properties are also welcomed. Emphasis is on either the functional or mechanical behavior of metals, ceramics and semiconductors at all length scales.