Non-ferrous alloys

Jane Blackford

E-mail: jane.blackford@ed.ac.uk
Room: S141, Sanderson Building

Non-ferrous alloys

Aluminium
Magnesium
Titanium
Nickel
Copper
Zinc
Refractory metals (Mo, W)
Noble metals
Intermetallics
see

www.webelements.com
Light alloys Metallurgy of the light metals,
I.J. Polmear; covers Al, Mg, Ti

Applications of Al alloys
General engineering:
Aircraft construction
Electric conductors
Building construction
others ?

Aluminium (Al)

crystal structure face centred cubic (fcc)

melting point 660C
density 2700 kg m-3 (low)
good corrosion resistance
main alloying additions :
Cu, Mg, Mn, Si, Zn, Sn, Li, (Fe)
binary, ternary and higher order alloys
so formation of many different [complex]
phases possible

Al alloys
cast
e.g. Al-Cu, Al-Si

wrought
e.g. 7000 series alloys

Al-Cu alloys
adding Cu lowers the melting point of Al
alloy suitable for casting
Al-Cu alloys can be age hardened (see later)

Al-Cu phase diagram

Al-4wt%Cu

fine Al2Cu precipitates

(age hardened)

coarse Al2Cu (over aged)

Al-Si alloys
adding Si lowers the melting point of Al
alloy suitable for sand or die casting (high fluidity)
Al and Si have no solid solubility below the
eutectic
so obtain microstructure of Si particles in an Al matrix

good corrosion resistance and good weldability

microstructure can be refined by rapid cooling to
increase strength and ductility
or modify microstructure by adding Sr

Al-Si phase diagram

Al-wt%12Si

Al

Si

Al-12Si-0.02Sr

Eutectic composition
shifted - so obtain
primary silicon
dendrites
Si shape modified by Sr

Al
Si

Wrought Al alloys
wrought = rolled, extruded, forged
heat treatable
non-heat treatable
International alloy designation system (IADS)
e.g. 1XXX = Al
7XXX = Al-Zn-Mg-(Cu)
specific example 7075: Al-1.5Cu-2.5Mg-5.5Zn0.3Mn-0.2Cr-0.5Fe-0.4Si-0.3(Zr+Ti)

NB no universally accepted designation system for cast alloys

Age (or precipitation) hardening

method of strengthening metals
e.g. Al-Cu, 7075
Need decrease in solid solubility of an
alloying element with decreasing
temperature
Draw suitable phase diagram:

Age hardening process

1. Solution treatment in single phase region
2. Quenching (rapid cooling) into water
super saturated solid solution (ssss)
e.g. of Al in Cu

3. Controlled decomposition of ssss

fine dispersion of precipitates
variation of ppt. size with T and composition (draw
diagram)
see next slide for schematic

Age hardening process

T

2. quench

1. solution treat

3. age

MgZn2 strengthening
precipitates

Oxidation and corrosion of Al

Al is thermodynamically the least stable of
main engineering metals but lucky
property of Al:
formation of dense highly protective
alumina film (only 1nm in thickness)
can be reinforced by anodising
can be destroyed by salt

Magnesium (Mg)

crystal structure hexagonal close packed (hcp)

melting point 650C
density 1700 kgm-3 (very low)
VERY POOR corrosion resistance
main alloying additions : Al, Mn, Zn
commercial cast alloy
AZ81: Mg-8Al-0.5Zn-0.3Mn

Automotive applications
Largest use of Mg is in tablets!