High-throughput characterization of the effect of quenching rate and dispersoid type on precipitation kinetics in two Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys
Abstract
A high-throughput investigation has been conducted on two Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys with a different dispersoid population (Cr or Zr based) to study the influence of quenching rate on precipitation kinetics. We developed a modified Jominy specimen to vary the quench rate down to 1 K.s -1 . Across the obtained continuous range of quench rates, microstructure was evaluated using space and time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), allowing to map the post-quench precipitation kinetics as a function of quench rate. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that Cr-containing dispersoids systematically trigger heterogeneous η-phase precipitation, while Zr-containing dispersoids remain inactive unless recrystallization induces loss of coherency. A critical cooling rate of 30 K.s -1 has been identified from the SAXS data, below which large precipitation-free zones develop and the volume fraction of strengthening precipitates decreases. These quench-induced precipitates modify the precipitation kinetics during natural and artificial ageing, both in terms of volume fraction, average size and precipitate size distribution. The resulting loss of hardness scales at first order with the square root of the precipitate volume fraction, indicating that the reduction in the fraction of homogeneous precipitates dominates over changes in size or spatial distribution.
Related
BibTeX
@article{pejot2026highthroughput,
title = {{High-throughput characterization of the effect of quenching rate and dispersoid type on precipitation kinetics in two Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys}},
author = {Thomas Pejot and Thomas Perrin and Frédéric De Geuser and Julien Barlier and Alexis Deschamps},
journal = {Materials \& Design},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1016/j.matdes.2026.116579},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05763336v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - High-throughput characterization of the effect of quenching rate and dispersoid type on precipitation kinetics in two Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys
AU - Thomas Pejot
AU - Thomas Perrin
AU - Frédéric De Geuser
AU - Julien Barlier
AU - Alexis Deschamps
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/10
JO - Materials & Design
DO - 10.1016/j.matdes.2026.116579
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05763336v1
AB - A high-throughput investigation has been conducted on two Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys with a different dispersoid population (Cr or Zr based) to study the influence of quenching rate on precipitation kinetics. We developed a modified Jominy specimen to vary the quench rate down to 1 K.s -1 . Across the obtained continuous range of quench rates, microstructure was evaluated using space and time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), allowing to map the post-quench precipitation kinetics as a function of quench rate. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that Cr-containing dispersoids systematically trigger heterogeneous η-phase precipitation, while Zr-containing dispersoids remain inactive unless recrystallization induces loss of coherency. A critical cooling rate of 30 K.s -1 has been identified from the SAXS data, below which large precipitation-free zones develop and the volume fraction of strengthening precipitates decreases. These quench-induced precipitates modify the precipitation kinetics during natural and artificial ageing, both in terms of volume fraction, average size and precipitate size distribution. The resulting loss of hardness scales at first order with the square root of the precipitate volume fraction, indicating that the reduction in the fraction of homogeneous precipitates dominates over changes in size or spatial distribution.
SN - 0261-3069
SN - 0264-1275
ER -