Effect of quenching treatment on corrosion behavior and mechanical properties of 6061 aluminum alloy

Aluminum-magnesium-silicon alloys are widely used in wide rage of engineering applications because they have moderate corrosion resistance, excellent formability, and high specific strength. The combined effect of quenching media and aging time on corrosion behavior, mechanical properties, and microstructure of 6061 Al alloy was investigated. Potentiodynamic polarization technique was employed to study the corrosion behavior of 6061 Al alloy in 3.5 %NaCl solution. The microstructure, phases and mechanical properties were examined via optical microscope, XRD and tensile and hardness testers respectively. The results of microstructure and X-ray diffraction analyses showed that the formation of (CuAl2) and (Mg2Si) phases improved the hardness and strength. The mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of treated 6061 Al alloy were progressively increased with increasing aging time.