THE EFFECT OF HOMOGENIZATION AND PRECIPITATION TREATMENTS ON THE EXTRUDABILITY AND AMBIENT-TEMPERATURE MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF ALUMINUM-ALLOY AA2024

This study determined the independent effects of various homogenization cycles and precipitation treatments on the elevated temperature workability and the final ambient temperature mechanical properties of aluminum alloy AA2024. The elevated-temperature tensile and extrusion tests indicate that the workability of AA2024 improves with elevated-temperature precipitation treatments as suggested by earlier investigations. The precipitation treatments do not appear to degrade the ambient-temperature T3 and T8 tensile properties. The time at the precipitation temperature appears to affect the T3 and T8 tensile properties in homogenized ingot, longer times especially providing both relatively high ambient-temperature strength and ductility. The time at the standard homogenization temperature and the heat-up and cool-down rates do not dramatically affect the T3 tensile properties of homogenized ingot. However, long soak times (24 h) at the homogenization temperature and more rapid cooling rates (120-degrees-C h-1) may improve the properties somewhat.