Relationship Between Microstructure, Strength, and Fracture in an Al-Zn-Mg Electron Beam Weld: Part I: Microstructure Characterization

This work presents a detailed, multiscale, spatially resolved study of the microstructure of an electron beam butt weld of the EN-AW 7020 (Al-Zn-Mg) alloy. Using a combination of optical, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and small-angle X-ray scattering, the distribution of phases in the different areas of the heat-affected zone and of the fusion zone is quantitatively characterized, for two different aging states: naturally aged after welding and artificially aged at 423 K (150 °C). The heat-affected zone consists of regions experiencing different levels of precipitate dissolution and coarsening during welding as well as new precipitation during post-welding heat treatment (PWHT). The microstructure of the fusion zone is typical from a fast solidification process, with a strong solute segregation in the interdendritic zones. The precipitate distribution after PWHT follows this solute distribution, and the resulting hardness is much lower than the relatively homogeneous value in the base metal and the heat-affected zone.