Effect of thermal treatment on the interfacial shear toughness of an aluminium composite laminate

The microstructure and mechanical properties in the interface region of a multilayer composite laminate based on Al-Zn (Al 7075) and Al-Cu (Al 2024) alloys have been mainly characterized by EBSD and shear tests. It is shown that varying solution heat treatments affect the microstructure of the constituent aluminium alloys in the bonding region and, as a consequence, the interfacial mechanical properties. The increase in the solution treatment time improves the interfacial toughness of the multilayer aluminium laminate due to higher intrinsic toughness of the constituent aluminium alloys.Financial support from CICYT (Project MAT2003-01172 and MAT2006-11202) is gratefully acknowledged. C.M. Cepeda-Jiménez thanks the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) for a I3P contract. We also thank F.F. González-Rodríguez for assistance during hot rolling. Finally, an especial mention in memory of P.J. González-Aparicio for his help and assistance with electron microscopy during all these years is made.Peer reviewe