Phase transformations in Al–Mg–Zn alloys during high pressure torsion and subsequent heating

The structure, phase composition, and their thermal evolution were studied in case of ternary Al–Zn–Mg alloys before and after high-pressure torsion (HPT) in Bridgman anvils. The as-cast non-deformed alloys contained the fine particles of Mg₃₂(Al,Zn)₄₉ (τ phase), MgZn₂ (η phase), AlMg₄Zn₁₁ (η′ phase), and Mg₇Zn₃ phases embedded in the matrix of Al-based solid solution. During heating in differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), all these phases dissolved around 148 °C. The τ nanoparticles coherent with (Al) matrix-formed instead around 222 °C. HPT of the as-cast alloys strongly refined the grains of (Al) solid solution from 500 μm to 120–150 nm. The particles of τ, η, η′, and Mg₇Zn₃ phases fully dissolved in the (Al) matrix. During the following DSC-heating, particles of η phase appeared and grew. Their amount became maximal around 166 °C. The growth of η phase in the fine-grained HPT-treated alloys instead of τ phase in the coarse-grained ones is explained by the shift of the (Al) + η/(Al) + η + τ/(Al) + τ lines in the Al–Zn–Mg ternary phase diagram due to the grain boundary (GB) adsorption. At 166 °C the η phase formed the continuous flat layers in numerous (Al)/(Al) GBs. This corresponds to the complete GB wetting by the η phase. Other (Al)/(Al) GBs contain separated lenticular η particles (incomplete GB wetting). Increasing the temperature from 166 to 320 °C led to the disappearance of the completely wetted (Al)/(Al) GBs. In other words, the transition from complete to the incomplete wetting of (Al)/(Al) GBs by the η phase proceeds between 166 °C and 320 °C.