Effects of In on the Precipitation Phenomena of Al-2.1Li-2.9Cu Alloy by Differential Scanning Calorimetry

열분석법에 의한 Al-2.1Li-2.9Cu합금이 석출현상에 미치는 In 첨가의 영향

A study was conducted to examine the effects of In addition on the precipitation behaviors of Al-2.1Li-2.9Cu alloy by differential scanning calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy and micro-hardness tester. DSC analysis was measured over the temperature range of $25{\sim}550^{\circ}C$ at a heating rate of $2{\sim}20^{\circ}C$/min. The heat evolution peaks due to the formation of GP zone and ${\delta}$'phase shift to higher temperature and the peaks to $T_1$ and ${\theta}$'phases shift to lower temperature by In addition. From this result, it was proved that the formation of GP zone and ${\delta}$'phase is suppresed whereas that of $T_1$ and ${\theta}$'phases are accelerated by the In addition of 0.15wt%. The age hardening curve aged at $190^{\circ}C$ showed that the In bearing alloy(alloy B) has more faster age hardening response and a higher peak hardness than In-free alloy(alloy A), attributed to the fine and homogeneous distribution of $T_1$ and ${\theta}$'phases. The activation energies for the formation of ${\delta}$'phase in In-free and In-bearing alloys are 22.3kcal/mol and 18.6kcal/mol, respectively. Those for $T_1(+{\theta}^{\prime})$ phase of In-free and In-bearing alloys are 24.3 and 37.5kcal/mol, respectively. Quenched-in excess vacancies play an important role to the formation of precipitates.