The preparation method of high strength Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy
The present invention relates to prepare and have the method for improving erosion resistance but keeping the high strength Al-Zn-Cu-Mg alloy of high destruction tolerance simultaneously again, prepared according to the methods of the invention thickness surpasses the high strength Al-Zn-Cu-Mg sheet alloy product of 50mm, and by the aircraft structure assembly of described alloy preparation.More specifically, the present invention relates to be applied to the international term 7000 serial specified high strength Al-Zn-Cu-Mg alloys in aeronautic structure field by aluminium association.Even more specifically, the present invention relates to have better intensity, the combination of toughness and erosion resistance, the particularly good intensity-thick alloy product of corrosion equilibrated.
This area has now been known the occasion that relates to relative high strength, high tenacity and erosion resistance at some, and for example airframe, vehicle assembly and other occasion are used heat treatable aluminium alloy.Aluminium alloy AA7050 and AA7150 have high strength when being in T6 type Annealed Strip, referring to example US-6,315,842.The AA7x75 alloy product of precipitation-hardening also has high strength when being in the T6 Annealed Strip.T6 tempering attitude has been considered to improve the intensity of alloy, wherein, above-mentioned AA7050, AA7x50 and AA7x75 alloy product all contain a large amount of zinc, copper and magnesium, and they are all well-known because of having high strength-to-weight ratio, therefore, especially are applied in the airplane industry field.But above-mentioned application scenario causes it to be exposed to widely in the weather condition, and therefore, essential careful control processing and aging condition are so that can provide full intensity and corrosion (comprise stress corrosion and peel off) drag.
In order to improve opposing stress corrosion and ability of peeling off and fracture toughness property, known described 7000 series alloys are carried out artificial overaging processing.When artificial aging to T79, T76 is when T74 or T73 type tempering attitude, the opposing stress corrosion of alloy, the performance of exfoliation corrosion and fracture toughness property all can improve, and (its improvement is in proper order: T73 the best, T79 and T6 are close), but compare with T6 tempering attitude, and intensity descends to some extent.In order to obtain acceptable tensile strength, stress corrosion resistance, exfoliation corrosion drag and fracture toughness property, a kind of acceptable tempering attitude is a T74 type tempering attitude, and this is a kind of limited overaging attitude, between T73 and T76 attitude.This T74 tempering attitude by alloy product is carried out 121 ℃ of following 6-24 hours and 171 ℃ down about 14 hours overaging handle and realize.
According to the standard of particular aircraft assembly, on intensity, toughness or erosion resistance in addition very little improvement can both bring alleviating of weight, this is transformed into the saving of fuel then again during aircraft utilization.In order to satisfy these requirements, other several AA7000 series alloys have been developed.
United States Patent (USP) 4,954,188 disclose a kind of method that aldural is provided, and this alloy is characterised in that the drag of peeling off with improvement, and the alloy that uses in the described method contains following alloying element, in wt.%:
Zn:5.9-8.2
Cu:1.5-3.0
Mg:1.5-4.0
Cr:<0.04,
Other element for example total amount of zirconium, manganese, iron, silicon and titanium is lower than 0.5, and surplus is an aluminium.This alloy is processed into the product of predetermined shape, to product solution heat treatment, the quenching of reshaping, and, to described thermal treatment and the product after quenching at 132-140 ℃ of following ageing treatment 6-30 hour.By reducing aging temp, rather than such elevated temperature of being introduced of United States Patent (USP) 3,881,966 or United States Patent (USP) 3,794,531 as described above for example, this alloy can obtain performances such as desired high strength, high tenacity and high corrosion resistance.
Existing report is pointed out: when the aluminium alloy AA7075 of known precipitation-hardening and other AA7000 series alloy are in T6 tempering attitude, and its erosion resistance deficiency under certain conditions.Though T7 type tempering attitude can improve the stress corrosion crack drag of alloy, compares with the T6 attitude, intensity significantly descends.
Therefore, United States Patent (USP) 4,863,528 disclose a kind of method for preparing the alloy product of improvement, and this method comprises provides a kind of alloy, and this alloy mainly is made up of following, in wt.%:
Zn:6-16
Cu:1-3
Mg:1.5-4.5, one or more are selected from Zr, Cr, Mn, Ti, V, or the element of Hf, the total amount of described element is no more than 1.0wt.%, and surplus is aluminium and incidental impurity.After casting, with this alloy solid solution thermal treatment, precipitation-hardening is so that the intensity of strength ratio solution heat treatment attitude is higher, its raising degree be about the intensity of solution heat treatment attitude and peak strength difference 30%, afterwards, under being enough to improve the temperature of its corrosion resistance nature, one or several handles.Then, to alloy precipitation-hardening processing once more, to improve its yield strength and to obtain corrosion resistant alloy product.Aging temp disclosed herein is 170-260 ℃, and the time is 0.2 minute to 3 hours.Before this artificial aging step and afterwards a precipitation-hardening step is arranged all, also be known as the T77 timeliness.The tensile strength that is obtained is 460-486MPa, and yield strength is 400-434MPa.
United States Patent (USP) 5,035,754 disclose a kind of heat treating method of aldural, and it comprises step: a kind of aluminium alloy is carried out solution heat treatment, and described aluminium alloy mainly is made up of following, in wt.%:
Zn:3-9
Cu:1-3
Mg:1-6,
At least aly be selected from following element
Cr:0.1-0.5
Zr:0.1-0.5
Mn:0.2-1.0,
The rest is aluminium, this alloy is heated to 100-140 ℃ of lesser temps interval, the temperature that can be selected in this lesser temps interval keeps certain hour with this alloy, with this alloy reheat to 160-200 ℃ of comparatively high temps interval, the temperature that can be selected in this comparatively high temps interval keeps second period with this alloy, alloy is cooled to the temperature in the lesser temps interval and repeats twice to major general's above-mentioned steps.This alloy has obtained good anti-corrosion and high strength characteristics, thereby has improved the performance of AA7075 and AA7050 aluminium alloy.Some examples show that tensile strength is 57-62kgf/mm
2, peeling off grade is P or EA.The boundary stress of SCC test is higher than 50kgf/mm
2
EP-0377779 discloses a kind of preparation and had high toughness and good corrosion resistance, as the method for the alloy of the thin slice of aviation field or thin plate occasion (for example top wing assembly), it comprises step: process a product, this group of products becomes, in wt.%:
Zn:7.6-8.4
Cu:2.2-2.6
Mg:1.8-2.1,
And one or more are selected from following element
Zr:0.5-0.2
Mn:0.05-0.4
V:?0.03-0.2
Hf:0.03-0.5,
The total amount of described each element is no more than 0.6wt.%, surplus person is aluminium and incidental impurities, this product is carried out solution heat treatment and quenching, and, by in turn three times with this product by heating one or more temperature between 79-163 ℃, perhaps this product is heated at first that one or more temperature between 79-141 ℃ reached two hours or longer or, comes described product is carried out artificial aging this product by heating one or more temperature between 148-174 ℃.These products show better anti-exfoliation corrosion, and its grade reaches " EB " level or higher, and yield strength ratio is in the similar AA7x50 corresponding product of size high about 15% of T76 tempering attitude.The intensity of the said products still than the similar AA7x50-T77 corresponding product of size height at least about 5%.
United States Patent (USP) 5,312,498 disclose the method that another kind of preparation has the aluminum base alloy product of the anti-stripping performance of improvement and fracture toughness property, and the zinc of surplus, copper and Mg content make and do not have excessive copper and magnesium in this alloy.This method for preparing the aluminum base alloy product adopts a step or the two step statutes of limitations, simultaneously in conjunction with making copper, magnesium and zinc reach balance on the stoichiometry.The orders of disclosed two step timeliness are: alloy at first about 9 hours of about 121 ℃ of timeliness, subsequently, carries out second timeliness step at about 157 ℃, about 10-16 of time hour, afterwards, carries out air cooling.This aging process at be thin plate or the sheet product that is used for lower wing shell or fuselage cover occasion.
But, at aviation field, requirement provide tranverse sectional thickness greater than 50mm, be used for for example spar of wing and the high strength AA7000 series alloy of bar and top wing shell occasion, described alloy has above-mentioned specific mechanical property, for example, high strength, high tenacity, and good anti-corrosion are as anti-stress corrosion performance or antistripping corrosive nature.The above-mentioned parts for example spar of aircraft wing are typically formed by the plate product manufacturing by mechanical workout, wherein, the performance of material is as follows: at the compression yield strength at L direction S/4 place 475MPa at least, ultimate tensile strength is 510MPa at least, the ST at S/2 place (cutting back face) unit elongation at least 3.0%.
But EP-1158068A1 discloses a kind of heat-treatable aluminum alloy of thickness greater than the thick product of 12mm that be used to prepare, and described alloy is a kind of Al-Zn-Cu-Mg alloy, and it is composed as follows, in wt.%:
Zn:4-10
Cu:1-3.5
Mg:1-4
Cr:<0.3
Zr:<0.3
Si:<0.5
Fe:<0.5
In other element, every kind<0.05, total amount<0.15 the rest is aluminium.It is introduced, find: for the thick product that slight recrystallize only takes place microstructure, big as-cast grain size may cause this phase transformation and through specific microstructure that heat treated product had, this tissue is to the useful influence of toughness, and can not reduce intensity or other performance.Therefore, propose with rolling, forge or extruding ingot casting form is cast this alloy be 300-800 μ m so that keep as-cast grain size.
Therefore, a kind of improved preparation method who the purpose of this invention is to provide the high strength Al-Zn-Cu-Mg alloy that is used for the heavy-gauge sheeting product, described alloy has the fatigue crack growth resistance of improvement and high destruction tolerance, and has above-mentioned performance, that is: compression yield strength (L direction S/4 place) 475MPa at least, ultimate tensile strength is 510MPa at least, the unit elongation at least 3.0% at ST direction S/2 place
Another object of the present invention is to obtain a kind of AA7000 series alloys, toughness and corrosion resistance nature that it has the intensity that is in T6 type tempering range and is in T73 type tempering range.
A further object of the present invention is to obtain a kind of slab alloy, and this alloy can be used for preparing the airplane structural parts with high strength and good corrosion resistance energy, for example wing spar.
By the feature of claim 1, the present invention can satisfy above-mentioned purpose.Further preferred embodiment all is described and specifies in the dependent claims scope.
According to the present invention, the method that a kind of preparation has the high strength Al-Zn-Cu-Mg alloy of the fatigue crack growth resistance of improvement and high destruction tolerance is disclosed, it comprises the steps:
A) water and outpour ingot casting, described ingot casting has following composition (by weight percentage):
Zn:5.5-9.5
Cu:1.5-3.5
Mg:1.5-3.5
Mn:<0.25
Zr:<0.25, preferred 0.06-0.16
Cr:<0.10
Fe:<0.25, preferred<0.15
Si:<0.25, preferred<0.10
Ti:<0.10
Hf and/or V<0.25, and
Other element, every kind<0.05, total amount<0.15 the rest is aluminium.
B) after the cast, to homogenizing cast ingot and/or preheat processing,
C) preferably by rolling with ingot casting hot-work, and optionally, preferably by rolling with ingot casting cold working, become the converted products that thickness surpasses 50mm,
D) solution heat treatment,
E) product to solution heat treatment quenches, and, artificial aging is carried out in processing and heat treated product, wherein, the timeliness step comprises: the time of carrying out was longer than 2 hours but was shorter than 8 hours the thermal treatment first time under 105-135 ℃ of temperature, and, be higher than 135 ℃ but be lower than under 170 ℃ the temperature time of carrying out and be longer than 5 hours but be shorter than 15 hours the thermal treatment second time, so that the product that obtains at the compression yield strength at the S/4 place of L direction 475Mpa at least, ultimate tensile strength is 510Mpa at least, the ST unit elongation at least 3.0% at S/2 place.
The combination of above-mentioned chemical constitution and timeliness operation can make thickness have high strength level, extraordinary drag and the high stress corrosion resistance peeled off greater than the heavy-gauge sheeting product of 50mm.Particularly, the thermal treatment temp first time that two steps timeliness operation of the present invention is adopted is 115-125 ℃, and the time is 2-5 hour, preferably descended about 4 hours at 120 ℃, thermal treatment temp is 155-169 ℃ for the second time, and the time is 5-15 hour, preferably descends about 13 hours at 161-167 ℃.
The technician recognizes horse back: in the method according to the invention, after the product of solution heat treatment quenches, but before the artificial aging operation, this product may stretch alternatively or compress or other cold working, so that release stress, this point are known in this area.
The preferred content of magnesium (in wt.%) is 1.5-2.5, preferred 1.6-2.3, more preferably 1.90-2.10.
The preferred content of copper (in wt.%) is 1.5-2.5, preferred 1.6-2.3, more preferably 1.8 5-2.10.
The preferred content of zinc (in wt.%) is 5.9-6.2, perhaps 6.8-7.1, perhaps 7.8-8.1.
In all other elements, copper and magnesium are the important elements that improves alloy strength.The preferable range of copper and magnesium is higher than 1.6wt.%, but is lower than 2.3wt.%, and reason is that magnesium and copper content are too low, can reduce intensity, can reduce the erosion resistance of alloy product and bring the weldability problem and magnesium and copper content are too high.In order to realize the balance between intensity, toughness and the corrosive nature, having found to make each content (in wt.%) in copper and the magnesium is 1.6-2.3, preferably be in the narrower preferable range that provides in above-mentioned and the claim,, can realize good balance for thick alloy product.If select copper and Mg content too high, especially for thicker product, its performance relevant with toughness, stress corrosion and unit elongation all can descend.
In addition, found that the balance between the balance between copper and magnesium and the zinc, particularly magnesium and the zinc is very important.According to the content of zinc, the content of magnesium (wt.%) is preferably 2.4-0.1[Zn] and 1.5+0.1[Zn] between.This means that Mg content depends on selected zinc content.When the about 6wt.% of Zn content, Mg content (wt.%) is 1.8-2.1, and when the about 7wt.% of Zn content, Mg content is 1.7-2.2, and if the about 8wt.% of Zn content, then Mg content is 1.6-2.3.
Adopt the balance of the method according to this invention and selected copper, magnesium and zinc, can obtain a kind of after cast through homogenizing and/or preheat the ingot casting of processing, this ingot casting is by hot-work, and the optional thickness that is cold worked into is preferably greater than 60mm, 110-160mm more preferably, even be the converted products of 220mm to the maximum, the corrosive nature of this product is better, and the same good with the performance that adopts the T77 statutes of limitations to obtain at least, but its complexity is lower than so-called three steps timeliness tempering attitude T77.
Alloy of the present invention is preferably selected from AA7010, AA7x50, AA7040, AA7020, AA7x75, AA7349 or AA7x5 5 or AA7x85, preferred AA7055, AA7085.
According to the present invention, a kind of thickness that adopts method for preparing is disclosed greater than 50mm, high-strength aluminium-zinc-copper-magnesium alloy thick plate product of preferred 100-220mm.
Preferably a kind of aircraft components of this panel products, for example bar of wing or spar.Most preferably, the panel products according to the present invention top wing assembly that is aircraft.
Embodiment
By following detailed introduction, will become obvious according to the above-mentioned of alloy of the present invention and other feature and advantage to preferred embodiment.
Water with technical scale and to outpour 7 kinds of different aluminum alloys ingot castings, their chemical constitution is as shown in table 1.
Table 1The chemical constitution of slab alloy (wt.%) the rest is aluminium and unavoidable impurities, Fe=0.08 and Si=0.04, and Zr=0.10, Mn=0.02 among the alloy 1-5, and Mn=0.08 in alloy 6 and 7.
Alloy | Alloying element |
| ????Cu | ????Mg | ????Zn | ????Zr |
????1 | ????2.16 | ????2.04 | ????6.18 | ????0.11 |
????2 | ????2.10 | ????2.00 | ????6.10 | ????0.10 |
????3 | ????2.14 | ????2.04 | ????6.12 | ????0.10 |
????4 | ????1.91 | ????2.13 | ????6.86 | ????0.11 |
????5 | ????2.20 | ????2.30 | ????6.90 | ????0.10 |
????6 | ????2.23 | ????2.50 | ????7.80 | ????0.10 |
????7 | ????1.82 | ????2.18 | ????8.04 | ????0.10 |
Go out the ingot casting of physical size by the cutting of ingot casting section, handled 12 hours and handled 24 hours, under 410 ℃, preheat 5 hours 475 ℃ of following homogenizing 470 ℃ of following homogenizing, and, be hot-rolled down to the thickness of various size as shown in table 2.Afterwards, under 475 ℃ to sheet material solution heat treatment 4 hours, quench subsequently and two the step ageing treatment, the first step 120 ℃ following 4 hours, second the step following 13 hours at 165 ℃.
According to the thickness of each sheet alloy shown in the table 2, the alloy shown in the his-and-hers watches 1 is tested.
Table 2The intensity of variant thickness alloy, unit elongation and stripping performance overview in the table 1 (S/2=1/2 thickness place, S/4=1/4 thickness place); EXCO experimental evidence ASTMG34 carries out at the S/10 place, and sample illustrates respectively according to the EA-ED grade.
Sheet metal thickness (mm) | Alloy | ????Rp-L ????(MPa) ????S/4 | ????Rm-L ????(MPa) ????S/4 | ????A-(ST) ????(%) ????S/2 | ??EXCO |
??63.5 | ??1 | ??553 | ??590 | ??6 | ??EC |
??110 | ??2 | ??503 | ??553 | ??4 | ??EA |
??152 | ??3 | ??495 | ??537 | ??5 | ??EA |
??152 | ??3* | ??480 | ??528 | ??5 | ??EA |
??63.5 | ??4 | ??570 | ??604 | ??3 | ??EC |
??110 | ??5 | ??515 | ??550 | ??2 | ??EA |
??110 | ??6 | ??510 | ??565 | ??2 | ??EA |
??152 | ??7 | ??476 | ??529 | ??3 | ??EA |
* 120 ℃ of timeliness 5 hours, subsequently 165 ℃ of timeliness 15 hours.
As shown in table 2, alloy in the table 1 shows good compression yield strength (" Rp ") in the L direction, its value is greater than 476MPa, wherein most of alloy is greater than 500MPa, and for all alloys and all thickness, the ultimate tensile strength of L direction (" Rm ") all is higher than 529MPa, and a thickness is the example of 63.5mm even is higher than 600MPa.Except that two alloys, all alloys all reach 3% or higher at the ST of S/2 position unit elongation, even up to 6%.
The stripping performance grade is EA or EC.Stripping test is carried out in the S/10 position according to ASTMG34.For similar timeliness step, stripping performance is also close, and is as shown in table 3, still, astoundingly, if the first step thermal treatment is longer the second step thermal treatment shorter, then stripping performance descends.
Table 3.The stripping performance that is selected from alloy shown in the table 1 (" EXCO ") (" " do not mean test) according to ASTMG34 mensuration.
Alloy | Thickness | 6h/120℃+ 6h/155℃ | ?5h/120℃+ 12h/155℃ | 4h/120℃+ 13h/165℃ |
?1 | ?63.5 | ?EC | ?- | ?EC |
?3 | ?110 | ?- | ?EA | ?EA |
?5 | ?63.5 | ?EC | ?- | ?- |
?5 | ?110 | ?EC | ?EA | ?EA |
?6 | ?110 | ?ED | ?EA | ?EA |
?7 | ?63.5 | ?EC | ?- | ?EA |
To plate thickness is that the alloy 4 of 110mm is tested.Toughness and unit elongation the results are shown in the table 4.
Table 4.Be selected from the toughness and the unit elongation of alloy shown in the table 1, all sheet metal thicknesses are 110mm, and timeliness adopts two step method to carry out, and the first step thermal treatment was carried out 4 hours under 120 ℃, and the second step thermal treatment was carried out 13 hours under 165 ℃.Copper content is 2.25 in the alloy 5; K
ICTest according to standard ASTME399-90C (T) sample, this sample SL thickness be that (1.5 "), SL sample are taken from 1/2 thickness place (S/2) to 38.1mm.
Alloy | ??????Rp ??(S/2,ST) | ??????A ??(S/2,ST) | ????KIC?(%) ??(S/2,ST) |
????1 | ????465 | ????5 | ????26.9 |
????3 | ????461 | ????5 | ????26.8 |
????4 | ????465 | ????5 | ????27.1 |
????5 | ????453 | ????2 | ????24.1 |
????6 | ????472 | ????1 | ????19.5 |
????7 | ????482 | ????3 | ????26.4 |
For selected sheet metal thickness is above-mentioned all alloys of 110mm, and their grade of peeling off is EA.
At last, counter stress corrosive nature (" SCC ") is tested.At first, having tested thickness is the alloy 1 and 4 of 152mm.Select two kinds of different timeliness steps according to table 5.Magnitude of load is 172MPa.Measurement direction is S-L.Sample is taken from the S/2 position.Table 5 shows the fate when losing efficacy generation.After 30 days, end of test." NF " do not lose efficacy after meaning 30 days, lost efficacy after " 30 " mean 30 days.In all tests, test 3 samples under each experiment condition at least.Test is carried out according to ASTMG47.
Table 5.Thickness is the SCC performance of two kinds of alloys of 152mm.
Alloy | 5h/120℃+12h/165℃ | 4h/120℃+15h/165℃ |
????1 | ????NF,NF,NF | ????NF,NF,NF |
????4 | ????30,NF,NF | ????NF,NF,NF |
At last, by adopting the sheet material of thickness 125mm, tested the stress corrosion performance of other 5 kinds of alloys.Sample is taken from the S-L direction, and magnitude of load is 180MPa.Table 6 shows the chemical constitution and the stress corrosion performance result of above-mentioned alloy.
Table 6.The SCC performance of the S-L sample of thickness 125mm, Fe=0.08, Si=0.04 and Zr=0.10.
Alloy | ????Cu | ????Mg | ????Zn | 4h/120℃+13h/165℃ |
????A | ????1.7 | ????1.8 | ????7.4 | ????NF,NF,NF |
????B | ????2.3 | ????1.8 | ????7.5 | ????NF,NF,NF |
????C | ????2.25 | ????2.5 | ????7.65 | ????15,NF,NF |
????D | ????1.8 | ????2.45 | ????8.0 | ????15,20,NF |
????E | ????2.3 | ????2.4 | ????8.1 | ????20,25,NF |
By table as can be seen: the toughness of alloy of the present invention is by copper and Mg content control, and zinc content is especially influential to tensile property.The preferred balance of every kind of element is 1.6-2.0wt.% in copper and the magnesium.
So far, the present invention has been carried out abundant introduction, what it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that is: under the condition that does not depart from the scope of the invention of addressing herein, can carry out multiple variation and correction.