Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc.

China 22(2012) 47í52

Effect of quenching rate on microstructure and

stress corrosion cracking of 7085 aluminum alloy
CHEN Song-yi, CHEN Kang-hua, PENG Guo-sheng, LIANG Xin, CHEN Xue-hai
State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Received 4 January 2011; accepted 6 April 2011

Abstract: The influence of quenching rate on microstructure and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of 7085 aluminum alloy was
investigated by tensile test, slow strain rate test (SSRT), combined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron
microscopy (TEM) and electrochemical test. The results show that with decreasing the quenching rate, the size and inter-particle
distance of the grain boundary precipitates as well as precipitation free zone width increase, but the copper content of grain boundary
precipitates decreases. The SCC resistance of the samples increases first and then decreases, which is attributed to the copper content,
size and distribution of grain boundary precipitates.
Key words: 7085 aluminum alloy; quenching rate; microstructure; stress corrosion cracking

SCC resistance were associated with grain boundary

1 Introduction precipitates (GBPs). The SCC resistance could be
improved by increasing both the size and space distance
High strength AlíZníMgíCu alloys are extensively of the GBPs [12].
used as aircraft structure materials due to their good Quenching rate has great influences on
strength and toughness, but they are susceptible to stress microstructure and properties of super high strength
corrosion cracking(SCC) [1, 2]. From the recent aluminum alloy. It was reported that quenching rate
researches [3í5], the main mechanism of SCC was changed the size and distribution of the GBPs, and
attributed to anodic dissolution and hydrogen influenced strength, fracture toughness and aging
embitterment. The development of SCC can be divided response [13í18]. Unfortunately, there is no enough
into two main stages: crack initiation and crack information about the correlation between quenching rate
propagation [6]. and SCC of AlíZníMgíCu alloy, especially for 7085
Many efforts have been made to improve the SCC aluminum alloy, which have been developed by ALCOA
resistance through heat treatment. Overaging to T7x since 2003. The purpose of this work is to study the
temper decreased the susceptibility of SCC but at the effect of quenching rate on the microstructure and SCC
expense of 10%í15% strength [7]. Retrogression and of 7085 aluminum alloy.
reaging (RRA) treatment have been developed to obtain
SCC resistance equivalent to that of T73 temper together 2 Experimental
with T6 strength levels [8]. Recently, OU et al [9] and
LIN et al [10] proposed that step-quenching aging (SQA) 7085 aluminum casting was used as the raw
can was improve the SCC resistance without loss of material with the nominal chemical composition (mass
strength. HUANG et al [11] indicated that SCC fraction, %) of Alí7.5Zní1.6Mgí1.5Cuí0.13Zr. Cast
resistance of alloys improved without decreasing ingots were homogenized at 450 °C for 24 h plus 470 °C
strength and plasticity through a high temperature for 38 h. Three-directional forging was performed at 420
pre-precipitation (HTPP) process. These previous results °C with a strain of about 0.7 at each step, a total strain of
showed that the major microstructural features about about 3.5, followed by air-cooling. All the specimens for

Foundation item: Projects (2010CB731701, 2012CB619502) supported by National Basic Research Program of China; Project (51021063) supported by the
Creative Research Group of National Natural Science Foundation of China
Corresponding author: CHEN Kang-hua; Tel: +86-731-88830714; Fax: +86-731-88710855; E-mail: [email protected]
DOI: 10.1016/S1003-6326(11)61138-2
48 CHEN Song-yi, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 22(2012) 47í52
the investigation were sampled at the center of the and yield strength of the slow quenched (1 °C/s)
forging piece in order to ensure a maximum specimens are obviously decreased. The elongation of
homogeneity of composition and grain structure. the specimens is not significantly changed under three
Specimens were solution treated at 470 °C for 1 h in conditions.
a air circulating furnace. In order to acquire different
quenching rates, specimens were quenched by three Table 1 Tensile properties of AA7085 alloy with different
different procedures after solution treatment: cold water quenching rates
quenching (Fast quenching rate 150 °C/s), oil quenching Quenching rate/ Tensile Yield strength/
Elongation/%
(Intermediate quenching rate 50 °C/s), quenching in air (°C·sí1) strength/MPa MPa
(Slow quenching rate 1 °C/s) [18]. Subsequently, the 150 532 495 11.7
specimens were immediately subjected to artificial aging 50 520 460 12.1
at 120 °C for 24 h. 1 503 430 12.9
Tensile specimens with longitudinal direction for
each heat treatment conditions were used to measure
Figure 1 depicts the results of slow strain rate
mechanical properties on an Instron3369 testing machine
testing in the atmosphere for specimens previously
at room temperature. The specimens of slow strain rate
treated at different quenching rates. Tensile strength and
testing (SSRT) were tested at a strain rate of 6.67×10í6
elongation are estimated from Fig. 1. It can be seen that
sí1 in air and in 3% NaCl + 0.5% H2O2 solution. The
when the quenching rate decreases, the tensile strength
susceptibility to SCC was evaluated by the elongation
decreases, which is consistent with the tensile results
loss (LE). The expression is defined as follows [19]:
above. The elongation of the samples decreases in the
ª Lair  L cor º order of 1 °C/s>150 °C/s>50 °C/s.
LE « » u 100%
¬ Lair ¼

where Lair is the elongation in air; Lcor is the elongation in

corrosion solution.
The morphology of the fractured specimens was
examined on a scanning electron microscope
(JSMí6360LV). Microstructures were studied on a
transmission electron microscope (JEOLí2100F)
operated at 200 kV. Energy disperse spectroscopy (EDS)
attached to TEM was used to determine the composition
of grain boundary precipitates. Each datum point was the
arithmetic mean of at least 10 measured GBPs obtained
at 3 different grain boundaries. Thin foils for TEM were
prepared by mechanically polishing to 150 ȝm and final
twin-jet electro polishing in a solution of 25% Fig. 1 SSRT results for AA7085 with different quenching rates
HNO3+75% CH3OH at í25 °C. in air
Open-circuit potential (OCP) measurements were
carried out at 25 °C in 3.5% NaCl solution (CHI600C). The slow strain rate testing results for 7085
A saturated calomel electrode (SCE) was used as a aluminum alloy at different quenching rates in 3% NaCl
reference electrode and platinum was used as the counter + 0.5% H2O2 solution are shown in Fig. 2. The tensile
electrode. strength decreases in the order: 50 °C/s>150 °C/s>1 °C/s.
The elongation decreases in the order: 150 °C/s>50
3 Results °C/s>1 °C/s. Comparing the results of Fig. 2 and Fig. 1,
it is found that both tensile strength and elongation are
The tensile properties of the alloy with different lower in the 3 % NaCl + 0.5% H2O2 solution than in the
quenching rates are shown in Table 1. It indicates that air for the corresponding specimens, indicating that the
quenching rate greatly influences the ultimate strength alloy has SCC susceptibility.
and yield strength. With decreasing the quenching rate, In order to have a better understanding of the
the strength of the samples decreases. Compared with relationship between quenching rate and SCC, the loss of
that of the fast quenched (150 °C/s) specimens, the elongation (LE) is used to evaluate the SCC resistance of
ultimate and yield strength of intermediate quenched (50 aluminum alloy [13]. The lower the LE, the better the
°C/s) specimens are slightly lower. Whereas the ultimate SCC resistance. Table 2 displays that the LE ascends in
 CHEN Song-yi, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 22(2012) 47í52 49
the order: 50 °C/s<150 °C/s<1 °C/s. In conclusion, the Mg and Zn are similar for GBPs at different quenching
specimens with intermediate quenching rate (50 °C/s) rate. The content of copper for the specimens increases
have a better SCC resistance in a corrosion solution with increasing the quenching rate.
compared with those with slow quenching rate (1 °C/s) Open-circuit potential (OCP) is another measure to
or fast quenching rate (150 °C/s). evaluate the electrochemical reactivity of GBPs on a
macroscopic scale [20]. It is also indicated that there is a
correlation between OCP and the copper content of
GBPs. The OCP measurements for the alloys with
different quenching rates carried out at 25 °C in 3.5%
NaCl solution are shown in Fig. 5. The fast quenched

Fig. 2 SSRT results for AA7085 with different quenching rates

in 3% NaCl+0.5% H2O2 solution

Table 2 Loss of elongation of samples with different quenching

rates
Quenching rate/ Elongation Elongation Loss of
(°C·sí1) in air/% in NaCl/% elongation/%
150 11.7 10.9 7.6
50 11.2 10.7 4.4
1 12.8 6.5 49

Typical fracture surfaces after SSRT of the

specimens in 3% NaCl + 0.5% H2O2 solution are shown
in Fig. 3. The fracture surface of fast quenched (150
°C/s) specimens is dominated by intergranular fracture
(Fig. 3(a)). By contrast, the combination of intergranular
and trangranular fracture is found in the intermediate
quenched (50 °C/s) specimens (Fig.3 (b)), and some
large dimples are also observed on the fracture surface of
the specimens. In the slowly quenched (1 °C/s)
specimens, the dimples disappear and the fracture
surface is characterized by intergranular fracture
(Fig. 3(c)). All fracture surfaces verify the SCC
resistance sequence above.
Figure 4 shows TEM bright-field micrographs of Fig. 3 SEM fractographs of SSRT samples failed in 3% NaCl +
the microstructure of alloy quenched at different rates. 0.5% H2O2 solution: (a) Fast quenching (150 °C/s); (b)
Compared with the fast quenched sample, the matrix Intermediate quenching (50 °C/s); (c) Slow quenching (1 °C/s)
precipitates of the intermediately quenched sample
slightly coarsen, and the size and interval of the GBPs Table 3 EDS results of GBPs composition at different
are larger (Figs. 4(a)í(b)). For the slowly quenched quenching rates
specimens, the matrix precipitates and GBPs are coarser, Quenching rate/(°C·sí1) x(Al)/% x(Zn)/% x(Cu)/% x(Mg)/%
and the precipitate free zones (PFZ) become wide (Fig.
150 85.2 4.8 6.4 3.6
4(c)).
50 88.4 4.6 3.3 3.7
The composition of GBPs at different quenching
1 91.3 3.9 1.3 3.5
rate is shown in Table 3. It is found that the contents of
50 CHEN Song-yi, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 22(2012) 47í52
specimen shows a slightly more positive potential
(í0.764 V, vs SCE) than the intermediately quenched
specimens (í0.775 V, vs SCE), whereas the alloy with
slow quenching rate has the most negative average OCP
(í0.811 V, vs SCE). The results further confirm that the
copper content decreases with decreasing the quenching
rate. They are also consistent with the results of EDS.

4 Discussion

The AA7085 alloys with three quenching rates

investigated in this study have show different
microstructures. The size and interspaces of the GBPs by
the fast quenching are larger than those of intermediate
quenching; the slowly quenched specimens exhibit
coarser precipitates and wider PFZ (Fig. 4). These effects
can be mainly attributed to heterogeneous precipitation
occurring on the grain boundaries and the loss of solute
from solid solution. With decreasing the quenching rate,
the copper content of grain boundary precipitates
decreases. According to the results of STARKE [21], Cr-
and Mn-rich dispersoids can eliminate most of copper at
a slow quenching rate. Thus, it may be inferred that
Al3Zr dispersoids may act as nucleating agent to deplete
most of copper from solid solution, allowing little copper
to participate in the precipitate process. This explanation
needs to be further researched.
As can be seen from Table 1, with decreasing the
quenching rate, the strength of the specimens decreases.
This can be explained as the formation of
incoherent-type precipitates and loss of vacancies,
leading to less efficient age-hardening [22]. As can be
seen from Table 2, intermediately quenched (50 °C/s)
specimens show the best SCC resistance, attributing to
Fig. 4 TEM microstructures of alloys with different quenching relative high content of copper on the GBPs and large
conditions: (a) Fast quenching (150 °C/s); (b) Intermediate GBPs size (about 50 nm) as well as wide GBPs spacing,
quenching (50 °C/s); (c) Slow quenching (1 °C/s) which decreases the anodic dissolution rate and reduces
the concentration of hydrogen at the crack tip. Moreover,
the coalescence of cracks is retarded due to larger
individual segment of crack. Therefore, the initiation and
propagation rate of crack can be effectively decreased.
The fast quenched (150 °C/s) specimens show relatively
worse SCC resistance compared with the intermediately
quenched specimens. The higher content of copper on
the GBPs may decrease the electrochemical activity and
increase the crack initiation resistance [23]. The smaller
size and continuous distribution of GBPs have an
adverse effect on the SCC resistance. The GBP with size
of about 20 nm (see Fig. 5(a)) can take no advantage to
act as trapping sites of atomic hydrogen to nucleate
hydrogen bubbles, leading to hydrogen embitterment
occurs according to the results by CHRISTODOULOU
Fig. 5 Open-circuit potential measurements for alloys with and FLOWER [24]. On the other hand, the continuous
different quenching rates GBPs accelerate the rate of crack propagation. By the
 CHEN Song-yi, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 22(2012) 47í52 51
combination of two aspects, fast quenched specimens Metallurgical and Materials Transactions Transactions A, 1989,
exhibit relatively bad SCC resistance. The slowly 20(10): 2087í2093.
[9] OU B L, YANG J G, WEI M Y. Effect of homogenization and aging
quenched (1 °C/s) specimens have the worst SCC
treatment on mechanical properties and stress-corrosion cracking of
resistance. The reason is attributed to the low content of
7050 alloys [J]. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, 2007,
copper on the GBPs, resulting in higher anodic 38(10): 1760í1773.
dissolution reaction and cathode reaction generation of [10] LIN J C, LIAO H L, JEHNG W D, CHANG C H, LEE S L. Effect of
hydrogen at crack-tips, promoting the corrosion crack heat treatment on the tensile strength and SCC-resistance of AA7050
initiation and propagation. in an alkaline saline solution [J]. Corrosion Science, 2006, 48(10):
3139í3156.
[11] HUANG L P, CHEN K H, LI S, SONG M. Influence of
5 Conclusions high-temperature pre-precipitation on local corrosion behaviors of
AlíZníMg alloy [J]. Scripta Materialia, 2007, 56(4): 305í308.
1) With decreasing the quenching rate, the strength [12] WANG D, NI D R, MA Z Y. Effect of pre-strain and two-step aging
of 7085 alloy samples decreased because of the on microstructure and stress corrosion cracking of 7050 alloy [J].
Materials Science and Engineering A, 2008, 494(1í2): 360í366.
formation of incoherent-type precipitates and loss of
[13] LIU Sheng-dan, ZHANG Yong, LIU Wen-jun, DENG Yun-lai,
vacancies, leading to less efficient age-hardening. With ZHANG Xin-ming. Effect of step-quenching on microstructure of
decreasing the quenching rate, the size and inter-particle aluminum alloy 7055 [J]. Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society
distance of grain boundary precipitates increase, and the of China, 2010, 20(1): 1í6.
copper content of GPBs decreases. Thus, the SCC [14] HE Yong-dong, ZHANG Xin-ming, YOU Jiang-hai, YE Ling-ying,
resistance of the samples increases first and then LIU Wen-hui. Effect of precipitate free zone quench-induced on
fracture behavior of AlíZníMgíCu alloys [J]. The Chinese Journal
decreases.
of Nonferrous Metals, 2006, 16(3): 392í399. (in Chinese)
2) The intermediate quenching rate (50 °C/s) [15] DESCHAMPS A, TEXIER G, RINGECAL S, DELFAUT-DURUT
improves the SCC resistance with the retention of L. Influence of cooling rate on the precipitation microstructure in a
strength, which is attributed to the relative high copper medium strength AlíZníMg alloy [J]. Materials Science and
content and large interspace of grain boundary Engineering A, 2009, 501(1): 133í139.
precipitation. [16] ROBINSON J S, TANNER D A. Residual stress development and
relief in high strength aluminum alloys using standard and
retrogression thermal treatments [J]. Materials Science and
References Technology, 2003, 19(4): 512í518.
[17] XIAO Dai-hong, CHEN Song-yi, CHEN Kang-hua. Effect of
[1] HEINZ A, HASZLERA, KEIDEL C. Recent development in quenching technique on properties of forged aluminum alloy
aluminum alloys for aerospace applications [J]. Materials Science AA7150 with minor Sc [J]. The Chinese Journal of Nonferrous
and Engineering A, 2000, 280(3): 102í107. Metals, 2010, 20(2): 226í232. (in Chinese)
[2] POULOSE P K,MOREAL J E, MCEVILY A J. Stress corrosion [18] DORWARD R C, BEERNTSEN J. Grain structure and quench-rate
crack velocity and grain boundary precipitates in an AlíZníMg alloy effect on strength and toughness of AA7050 AIíZníMgíCuíZr
[J]. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B, 1974, 5(6): alloy plate [J]. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, 1995,
1393í1400. 26(1): 2481í2484.
[3] VISWANADHAM R K, SUN T S, GREEN J A S. Grain boundary [19] LIAO H L, LIN J C, LEE S L. Effect of pre-immersion on the SCC
segregation in AlíZníMg alloysüImplications to stress corrosion of heat-treated AA7050 in an alkaline 3.5%NaCl [J]. Corrosion
cracking [J]. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, 1980, 11(1): Science, 2009, 51(2): 209í216.
85í89. [20] KNIGHT S P, BIRBILIS N, MUDDLE B C, TRUEMAN A R,
[4] PICHENS J R, LANGAN T J. The effect of solution heat-treatment LYNCH S P. Correlations between intergranular stress corrosion
on grain boundary segregation and stress-corrosion cracking of cracking, grain-boundary microchemistry, and grain-boundary
AlíZníMg alloys [J]. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, electrochemistry for AlíZníMgíCu alloys [J]. Corrosion Science,
1987, 18(10): 1735í1744. 2010, 52(12): 4073í4080.
[5] SONG R G, DIETZEL W, ZHANG B J. Stress corrosion cracking [21] STARKE E A Jr. Aluminium alloys of the 70’s: Scientific solutions to
and hydrogen embrittlement of an AlíZníMgíCu alloy [J]. Acta engineering problems. An invited review [J]. Materials Science and
Materialia, 2004, 52(16): 4727í4743. Engineering, 1977, 29(2): 99í115.
[6] NAJJAR D, MAGNIN T, WARNER T J. Influence of critical [22] DUMONT D, DESCHAMPS A, BRECHET Y. On the relationship
surface defects and localized competition between anodic dissolution between microstructure, strength and toughness in AA7050
and hydrogen effects during stress corrosion cracking of a 7050 aluminum alloy [J]. Materials Science and Engineering A, 2003,
aluminum alloy [J]. Materials Science and Engineering A, 1997, 356(1í2): 326í336.
238(2): 293í302. [23] RAMGOPAL T, GOUMAP I, FRANKEL G S. Role of
[7] OLIVEIRA A F Jr, De BARROS M C, CARDOSO K R, TRAVESSA grain-boundary precipitates and solute-depleted zone on the
D N. The effect of RRA on the strength and SCC resistance on intergranular corrosion of aluminum alloy 7150 [J]. Corrosion, 2002,
AA7050 and AA7150 aluminum alloys [J]. Materials Science and 58(8): 687í697.
Engineering A, 2004, 379(1í2): 321í326. [24] CHRISTODOULOU L, FLOWER H M. Hydrogen embrittlement
[8] TALIANKER M, CINA B. Retrogression and reaging and the role of and Trapping in Alí6%Zní3%Mg [J]. Acta Materialia, 1980, 28(4):
dislocations in the stress corrosion of 7000-type aluminum alloys [J]. 481í487.
52 CHEN Song-yi, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 22(2012) 47í52

⏀☿䗳ᑺᇍ 7085 䪱ড়䞥ᰒᖂ㒘㒛੠ᑨ࡯㜤㱔ⱘᕅડ

чഢ࿌ēчࢢ‫ܟ‬ē଎‫ڳ‬ಛēॣ ໰ēч༰‫ں‬

Ёफ໻ᄺ ㉝᳿‫ފ‬䞥೑ᆊ䞡⚍ᅲ偠ᅸˈ䭓≭ 410083

ᨬ㽕˖䞛⫼࡯ᄺᗻ㛑⌟䆩ǃ᜶ᑨব䗳⥛ᢝԌᅲ偠ˈ㒧ড়ᠿᦣ⬉䬰੠䗣ᇘ⬉䬰ঞ⬉࣪ᄺ⌟䆩ㄝᮍ⊩ˈⷨお⏀☿䗳
ᑺᇍ 7085 䪱ড়䞥㒘㒛੠ᑨ࡯㜤㱔ᗻ㛑ⱘᕅડDŽ㒧ᵰ㸼ᯢˈ䱣ⴔ⏀☿䗳ᑺⱘ䰡Ԣˈড়䞥᱊⬠ᵤߎⳌⱘሎᇌ੠䯈䎱
๲໻ˈ᱊⬠ᵤߎⳌⱘ Cu ৿䞣䰡Ԣ˗ড়䞥ⱘᡫᑨ࡯㜤㱔ᗻ㛑䱣ⴔ⏀☿䗳ᑺⱘ‫ޣ‬ᇥ‫ܜ‬๲ᔎৢ‫ޣ‬ᔅDŽ᱊⬠ᵤߎⳌⱘሎ
ᇌ੠ߚᏗҹঞ Cu ৿䞣ᰃᕅડড়䞥ᡫᑨ࡯㜤㱔ᗻ㛑ⱘЏ㽕಴㋴DŽ
݇䬂䆡˖7085 䪱ড়䞥˗⏀☿䗳ᑺ˗ᰒᖂ㒘㒛˗ᑨ࡯㜤㱔ᓔ㺖
(Edited by YANG Hua)