Analysis of Precipitation, Corrosion, and Properties Different types of Aluminum 2024 T-351,

Aluminum 6061 O, and Aluminum 6061 T-6.

Hatra Wimana Mulyono
School of Materials Science and Engineering
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington, 99163, USA
Abstract:
This experiment is analyzing the precipitation of the several aluminum types
such as 2024-T351, 6061-O, and 6061-T6. Therefore, each of materials have
different characterization and microstructures. Consequently, by performing the
microstructural analysis, it can determine how it’s solutionized. Moreover, it also can
determine the aging where it can process from the cold hardening to get a precipitate.
Introduction:
An aluminum is a material has light weight, conductivity, corrosion-resistant
metal with strong oxidation. The combination of aluminum material can apply in
several applications such as aerospace, aviation, construction, automotive, and
marine industries. In addition, it is most useful materials which use as a top two
metal in this world. Therefore, aluminum is extremely useful for developing the
aviation industries, especially for the body of an airplane which use the composite
materials which base with aluminum. Nevertheless, it cannot find in its element,
however, it arises in bauxite which is a mixture of aluminum oxides, iron oxides, and
clay. Then it needs multipart process to synthesis into aluminum.
The precipitation of aluminum is a key of metallurgical feature which
hardened by heat treatment where its solid solubility with high temperature, but only
limited in solute solid solubility at high temperature. In addition, to increase the
content of appropriate an element and applying a final thermomechanical treatment
(FTMT) has been predictable through the most prevalent way. Furthermore, it will
increase Cu and Mg which hence the precipitation of the strengthening phase (S’).
Then it will stretch into any aging treatment which would render the phase shorter
and thinner in size, but it denser in distribution phase.
By the other hand, the evolution of phase during aging has been widely
examined by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray, and hardness
studies. Nevertheless, the measurements of specific resistivity or electrical
conductivity and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) have been shown recently
for being effective methods according to (Shih, et al).
Materials and Method:
This experiment is using three differences aluminum types such as aluminum
2024 T-6, aluminum 6061 O, and aluminum 6061 T-6. Before do all the process to
make a sample from those materials, Charpy test was the first thing that do to break
the aluminum into two pieces and knowing the hardness of the aluminum. After
 Charpy test, cut the sample into small pieces before doing the hot mounting to make
a Bakelite for the sample. Therefore, the sample was mounted with phenolic resin,
and it takes 5 minutes for pre-load and another 5 minutes for heating the sample.
After mounted was done, grinding is the next step to release the scratch from the
sample. Therefore, it uses several grids such as 320, 400, 600, and 1200 grids. The
sample was grinded for 3 through 5 minutes with each grid. Then polishing is
another method to make the sample clear from the scratch, and it uses 6 μm and 1 μm
polishing wheel. However, before do the polishing, spray the wheel with a diamond
spray to make the sample release a scratch. Then clean the sample with DI water
after polishing done. After polishing done, etching is another method to show the
grain boundaries of the materials. The solution that used for etching is 10% of
sodium hydroxide for 2 minutes. However, this experiment has two etching to look
the boundaries and precipitation of the materials where it uses Keller’s reagent, 10%
sodium hydroxide, and 25% nitric acid to dismuth one of the samples. In addition,
when second etching, it needs 15 minutes to etch the sample. After all the process
done, analyze the microstructure under the microscope to acquire the picture of the
sample.
Result and Discussion:
The microstructure of each aluminum will determine in figure 1, 2, and 3.

Figure 1: a) Aluminum 2024 – T351 with 20x magnification.

From figure 1, aluminum 2024 the volume fraction cannot be determined

since it just show the grain boundaries. Therefore, it is a complex material due to
many metals used in it. This material that affect the strength, corrosion resistance,
and grain structure which seen in figure 1. The precipitation. In addition, the
microstructure was determined by the Al-Si phase diagram. Then there is some
pitting corrosion on the grain boundaries. Thus, it will be quenching while liquid still
existing in there which causing the appearance of the materials. Then when it is
getting more heat, it will cause the grain boundaries melting. In addition, it also zero
solid solubility materials.
 Figure 2: Aluminum 6061-O with 50x magnification.
According to figure 2, the aluminum 6061-O was solutionized, and the
sample was turn black after etching with 10% sodium hydroxide. Then by using 25%
of nitric acid, the sample is going back into beginning (dismuth) to show the
precipitates. In addition, the aging will show the precipitation on this sample, and it
also can determine the hardness of the sample. According to Tan, it is not only
changing the precipitation of the material, but also refines the microstructures by
segregating Q’\α – Al interface. In addition, by looking in figure 2, there are some
pitting inside the aluminum. Therefore, the volume fraction is 8.67% by analyzing in
imageJ.
In figure 3, the aluminum 6061-T6 has artificially aging since its

Figure 3: Aluminum 6061-T6 with 50x magnification.

accomplished not only below the equilibrium solvus temperature, but it’s below
meta-stable miscibility gap zone solvus line. In addition, the precipitation of
aluminum 6061-T6 precipitation happened since the heat was increasing, so then the
temperature increasing massively. Then it will be quenched rapidly into water or
some media of cooling. Thus, the rapid cooling makes a separation of θ-phase, so
then the alloy still exists at low temperature which under-unstable supersaturated
state. Therefore, there are some pitting in the sample that analyzed. According to
Eskin, the hardening precipitation in Al-Cu-Mg-Si alloying system where it’s the
composition of hardening phase in Al-Cu-Mg-Si alloys with contain 2.5%-4.5% of
Cu respect through the chemical composition of the supersaturated solid solution. In
addition, the volume fraction of the aluminum 6061-T6 is around 10.5%
Conclusion:
In conclusion, this experiment will determine the differences of precipitation
in each aluminum which from that precipitation, it can determine the hardness of
aluminum. Therefore, it also analyzing the aging for aluminum. Then analyzing the
microstructure for each different aluminum. Not only that, it also determines the
volume fraction of aluminum 6061-O and 6061-T6.
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