Effect of cold work on the age hardening behaviour of A1 2014 A1 alloy

The Al 2014 alloy was hardened to a considerable extent by subjecting it to solution-heat-treatment at 502C for 2 hours water quenching and then aging, both natural and artificial. Hardness increased to 113HV from the as-cast value of 85HV during natural aging and increased further to 136HV and 145HV when aged at 180 degree C and 232 degree C for only one hour. The hardness increased significantly when the alloy was cold worked to various degrees by rolling after solution treatment and water quenching, and then artificially aged. Maximum hardness values obtained were 188.7 HV and 191.6 HV which corresponded to 44% and 48% cold deformation respectively at the aging temperature of 180 degree C for only one hour aging time. (author)