Modeling the microstructural and yield strength evolution of an age-hardenable Al alloy for high temperature applications

The mechanical properties of Al alloys are strongly affected by their microstructure: the size and shape of precipitates, their homogeneous distribution and their coherency with the matrix are of primary importance for an effective strengthening of the alloys at room and elevated temperatures. Physically-based models are powerful tools to predict the influence of the mentioned parameters on the mechanical properties of the alloy after age hardening, and also to predict the effect of high temperature service conditions on microstructure evolution. Scope of this work is to model the dimensional kinetic evolution of plate shaped precipitates of an Al-based alloy during aging and after different overaging times at elevated temperature, and use these results to estimate the alloy yield strength. The alloy strengthening response is due to three terms, linearly summed: the intrinsic strength of Aluminum, the contribution from solute in solid solution and the contribution arising from precipitates. The consistency of the model is verified with experimental data obtained from a 2014 Al alloy.