Precipitation orientation effect of 2124 aluminum alloy in creep aging

The precipitation behaviors of 2124 aluminum alloy under the conditions of artificial aging (AA), creep aging (CA) and creep aging with pre-deformation (PCA) were investigated by means of mechanical property and microstructure. The results show that the mechanical properties of CA treated sample decrease significantly compared with AA treated sample. The yield strength of the CA treated sample falls by 14%, the tensile strength falls by 6.2%, and the elongation falls by 21%. Nevertheless, the mechanical properties of PCA sample are improved obviously, close to the AA treated sample. Moreover, the generation and control mechanisms of the precipitation orientation effect in 2124 aluminum alloy were studied. It is deduced that the key mechanism lies in the effect of dislocation.