Tailoring precipitate distribution in 2024 aluminum alloy for improving strength and corrosion resistance

For the traditional peak-aged (PA) AA2024 alloy, the formation of large S-phase precipitates within the grains, wide precipitate-free zones (PFZs) near the grain boundaries (GBs), and continuous distribution of grain boundary precipitates (GBPs) can be observed. As a result, the PA alloy exhibits relatively high strength but poor corrosion resistance. However, with the application of cyclic plasticity treatment, high-density 1–2 nm clusters form within the matrix, and no PFZs form near GBs. In this study, this treatment yields the optimal balance between strength–elongation characteristics and corrosion resistance. By combining cyclic plasticity and ageing heat treatment with different heating rates, the nanoscale clusters play a crucial role as heterogeneous nucleation sites, resulting in the formation of finer and higher number density of S precipitates within the matrix. Additionally, the presence of these clusters reduces the formation of GBPs and minimizes the width of PFZs. Consequently, compared to the traditional PA sample, this approach achieves a significantly higher yield strength (increased by 46%) and ultimate tensile strength (increased by 18%), along with superior corrosion resistance. Although the influence of ageing heat treatment with different rates on mechanical properties is not significant, it notably affects the formation of GBPs and corrosion resistance. Specifically, a slower heating rate leads to an increase in the spacing between adjacent GBPs, resulting in improved corrosion resistance. In summary, cyclic strengthening, as a novel method for alloy strengthening, when combined with ageing heat treatment, modulates the distribution of S precipitates within the matrix and GBs. This optimization maximizes the effects of precipitation strengthening and breaks the inverse relationship between strength and corrosion resistance.