Scientists from Cherepovets State University (ChSU) have found out how to control the properties of AA5056 aluminum-magnesium alloy, used in aviation and shipbuilding, without unnecessary costs. According to RIA Novosti, the discovery allows for pre-selecting sheet processing conditions for a specific part, rather than achieving the desired characteristics through long and expensive operations.
The researchers explained the essence with a household example. Cold rolling crumples the internal structure of the metal, like a crumpled sheet of paper. During annealing at 330°C, the “wrinkles” only smooth out, but the creases remain – ductility decreases. At 370°C, recrystallization begins: old deformed grains are replaced by new ones, and the sheet becomes homogeneous and ductile. Thus, from the same alloy, either a strong or a flexible material can be obtained depending on its purpose.
The AA5056 alloy was not chosen by chance – it is resistant to low temperatures and saline environments, so it is used for wing skins and internal panels of ships. The constructed mathematical models of alloy behavior will allow technologists to calculate processing modes in advance, eliminating additional annealing stages and saving production time. The next step for scientists is to study the effect of alloying trace elements on the identified effect.
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