Enhancing mechanical and corrosion properties of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy through electropulsing and aging alternate treatment

The contradiction between mechanical and corrosion properties restricts the further research and application of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy. Studies report a new technique, electropulsing and aging alternate treatment (EPAAT), including twice electropulsing and aging treatment, to solve this contradiction by precisely controlling the intragranular precipitates and grain boundary precipitates (GBPs). The results show that the grain boundary precipitates (GBPs, η) are discontinuous and the intragranular precipitates (η’) are not coarsened after EPAAT. The precise regulation of precipitated phase by EPAAT can be attributed the differing effect of electropulsing current on the GBPs and the intragranular precipitates. Utilize electropulsing primary treatment to obtain the supersaturated solid solution. Following natural aging, the small continuous phases at the grain boundary and the GP zones within the grain were precipitated again. The small continuous GPBs of the sample diffuse along the grain boundaries and become discontinuously distributed, while the GP zones within the grain dissolve with under the electropulsing secondary treatment. After artificial aging, the intragranular phase is fully precipitated, yet the GBPs remain unchanged, thereby achieving phase regulation. Consequently, the i_corr of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy decreases from 28 to 5.87 μA/cm² and the tensile strength increases from 511 MPa to 524 MPa. The EPAAT technology realizes the accurate treatment of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys and provides a new solution for improving strength and corrosion properties.