Effects of Cu and Ag additions on age-hardening behavior during multi-step aging in Al--Mg--Si alloys

Low Cu and Ag additions (≤0.10 at%) were found to strongly affect the age-hardening behavior in Al--Mg--Si alloys with Mg+Si>1.5 at%. The hardness increased during aging at 170 °C and the formation of β″ precipitates was kinetically accelerated. The activation energy of the formation of the β″ phase was calculated to 127, 105, 108 and 99 KJmol−1 in the base, Cu-added, Ag-added and Cu--Ag-added alloys, respectively using the Kissinger method. The negative effect of two-step aging caused by the formation of Cluster (1) during natural aging was not overcome by the addition of microalloying elements. However, it was suppressed by the formation of Cluster (2) through a pre-aging at 100 °C. Quantitative analysis of the precipitate microstructure was performed using a transmission electron microscope equipped with a parallel electron energy loss spectrometer for the determination of specimen thickness. The formation of Cluster (2) was found to increase the number density of β″ precipitates, whereas the formation of Cluster (1) decreased the number density and increased the needle length. The effects of low Cu and Ag additions in combination with multi-step aging are discussed based on microstructure observations and hardness and resistivity measurements.