Study on three-stage T6I6 aging technology to improve the mechanical properties of B95 aluminum alloy

Abstract

In this article, a study on the three-stage T6I6 aging technology is conducted to improve the mechanical properties of B95 aluminum alloy. After annealing and quenching, B95 aluminum alloy samples were aged in three stages (T6I6) according to four different regimes. Additionally, the authors investigated the traditional T6 artificial aging technology as a basis for comparison with the three-stage T6I6 aging treatments. Based on the results from hardness measurements, tensile testing, optical microscopy, FE-SEM, and electrical conductivity measurements, it was found that the three-stage T6I6 aging treatments achieved a higher density of intermetallic phase precipitates and improved mechanical properties (hardness, tensile strength, and yield strength) compared to the T6 aging technology. The optimal T6I6 aging process is determined as follows: first stage at 130 ºC for 1 hour, second stage at 95 ºC for 10 hours, and third stage at 130 ºC for 20 hours, resulting in a hardness of 185 HV, tensile strength approximately 9.1% higher, yield strength approximately 23.5% higher, and elongation approximately 1.83 times greater than those of the quenching and artificial aging process per ГОСТ 21488-97 standards.