Effect of Yb additions on microstructures and properties of 7A60 aluminum alloy

Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Zr alloys containing Yb were prepared by cast metallurgy. Effect of 0.30% Yb additions on the microstructure and properties of 7A60 aluminum alloys with T6 and T77 aging treatments was investigated by TEM, optical microscopy, hardness and electric conductivity measurement, tensile test and stress corrosion cracking test. The results show that the Yb additions to high strength Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Zr aluminum alloys can produce fine coherent dispersoids. Those dispersoids can strongly pin dislocation and subgrain boundaries, which can significantly retard the recrystallization by inhibiting the nucleation of recrystallization and the growth of subgrains and keeping low-angle subgrain boundaries. Yb additions can obviously enhance the resistance to stress corrosion cracking and the fracture toughness property, and mildly increase the strength and ductility with T6 and T77 treatments.