Heat treatment of cold-sprayed C355 Al for repair: microstructure and mechanical properties

Cold gas dynamic spraying of commercially pure aluminum is widely used for dimensional repair in the aerospace sector as it is capable of producing oxide-free deposits of hundreds of micrometer thickness with strong bonding to the substrate, based on adhesive pull-off tests, and often with enhanced hardness compared to the powder prior to spraying. There is significant interest in extending this application to structural, load-bearing repairs. Particularly, in the case of high-strength aluminum alloys, cold spray deposits can exhibit high levels of porosity and microcracks, leading to mechanical properties that are inadequate for most load-bearing applications. Here, heat treatment was investigated as a potential means of improving the properties of cold-sprayed coatings from Al alloy C355. Coatings produced with process conditions of 500 °C and 60 bar were heat-treated at 175, 200, 225, 250 °C for 4 h in air, and the evolution of the microstructure and microhardness was analyzed. Heat treatment at 225 and 250 °C revealed a decreased porosity (~ 0.14% and 0.02%, respectively) with the former yielding slightly reduced hardness (105 versus 130 HV0.05 as-sprayed). Compressive residual stress levels were approximately halved at all depths into the coating after heat treatment, and tensile testing showed an improvement in ductility

Influence of Heat Treatment on the Surface Structure of 6082 Al Alloys

The β-Al5FeSi intermetallic phase and coarse Mg2Si particles have negative effects on extrudability and workability of 6xxx Al alloys billets. To achieve extruded products with a high surface quality, the as-cast billets are heat-treated before extrusion. During heat treatment, the undesired intermetallic particles, i.e., β-AlFeSi platelets are transformed to rounded α-Al(FeMn)Si intermetallic phases. Although the heat treatment of the bulk areas of the 6xxx Al alloys has been the focus of many previous studies, the process of phase transformation at the very surface has not been paid the same attention. In this study, microstructures of a homogenized billet of a 6082 alloy at the area very close to the surface were investigated. By comparing the X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD) of heat-treated samples as a function of different holding times, the gradual phase transformations could be followed, and using GDOES and map analysis by EDX, the alloying elemental redistribution was analyzed. Partial remelting and porosity growth was detected, and transformation rates were faster than in bulk material and from what is known from industrial processes