Kinetic Analysis of Recovery, Recrystallization, and Phase Precipitation in an Al-Fe-Si Alloy Using JMAEK and Sesták–Berggren Models

When studying the phase changes process in a rolled AA8011 alloy using DSC, we find that the peaks associated with phase precipitation under this microstructural condition are different from those obtained in homogenized microstructures. The differences observed are attributable, first, to the recovery process occurring at temperatures below 423 K (150 °C), which interacts with the precipitation of Si-rich precipitates or with Guinier–Preston zones both coexistent in that temperature range; and second, to the recrystallization above 473 K (200 °C), which coexists with precipitation of the α-AlFeSi phase. In this work, the precipitation and recovery–recrystallization kinetics are experimentally obtained and deconvoluted in peaks characteristic for each of the mechanisms involved; i.e., precipitation of GP zones, recovery, precipitation of α phase, and recrystallization. The deconvolution is achieved using functions of Gauss, Weibull, and Fraser–Suzuki; and the characterization of each reaction deconvoluted is realized through both Jhonson–Melh–Avrami–Erofeev–Kolmorokov kinetic models and Sesták–Berggren combined kinetic model. The kinetic study evinces that in addition to the expected reactions, other reactions, necessary for good experimental adjustment, appear. An isoconversional study is undertaken to numerically evaluate the kinetic triplet of every process.