Precipitation Hardening
Precipitation Hardening
Precipitation Hardening
Materials can be hardened by inhibiting the motion of crystal defects called dislocations. In pure metals,
the presence of defects (such as vacancies, interstitials, dislocations and grain boundaries) can enhance
the strength.
In single phase alloys, additional resistance to deformation may arise from the presence of foreign
atoms.
In two-phase alloys, additional stress is needed to enable the dislocation to intersect the second-phase
particles. A finely dispersed precipitate may, therefore, strengthen the material. This phenomenon is
termed precipitation hardening.
Processes involved in Precipitation hardening of 2024
Al
1. Solution Treatment When the aluminum-copper alloy of less than 5 wt% copper is heated to a
temperature just above the solvus line, only one phase (α) is thermodynamically stable. Other solid
phases dissolve (disappear). This process is called solution treatment. The only requirement is that the
specimen must be kept at this temperature for a long enough time.
Treat a sample of 2024 Al (4 wt% Cu), the sample should be heated to 930°F (500°C) and held for 30
minutes.
2. Quenching When a solution treated sample is rapidly cooled (quenched) to below the solvus line
(Figure), two phases are thermodynamically stable (α and θ). These phases are two different solids,
physically distinct, and separated by a phase boundary. The process is similar to precipitation of salt in
supersaturated brine.
3. Aging The process of precipitation is not instantaneous, as is often the case in liquid-solid precipitation.
The process involves the formation of embryos of θ through thermal fluctuations and their subsequent
growth, once they achieve stability. With time, more and more precipitates form. This process is called
aging. Once the solution achieves an equilibrium composition given by the solvus line for the aging
temperature, precipitation stops
Binary Phase Diagram of Al 2024