Influence of the Thermomechanical Treatment on the Intergranular Corrosion Susceptibility of Zn-Modified Al-5.1 Wt Pct Mg-0.7 Wt Pct Mn Alloy Sheet

In this study, the effect of thermomechanical treatment on intergranular corrosion (IGC) susceptibility of the Zn-modified Al-5.1 wt pct Mg-0.7 wt pct Mn alloy plates was investigated. The specimens underwent varied amounts of cold work, while final annealing was conducted in the 493 K to 533 K (220 °C to 260 °C) temperature range. It was shown that the extent of cold work, especially at lower temperatures of treatment, had a profound effect on the corrosion resistance of the alloy. Such observation was in direct correlation with the morphology of precipitated ternary grain boundary phase (Al-Mg-Zn). Microstructural characterization showed that, depending on the amount of cold work, different deformation substructures were created, which, in turn, influenced kinetics and the mechanism of precipitation. Wetting of the grain boundaries by the ternary grain boundary phase (Al-Mg-Zn) was a signature of the IGC susceptible state and occurred in the specimens that were subjected to a lower degree of cold work. The specimens that underwent a higher degree of cold work (over 30 pct) showed superior corrosion resistance as a result of ternary grain boundary phase (Al-Mg-Zn) precipitation in the form of discrete particles at the grain boundaries as well as in grain interiors.