Changes of microstructure of different quench sensitivity 7,000 aluminum alloy after end quenching

The quench sensitivity and their influential factors of 7,021, 7,085, and 7,050 alloys were investigated by the end quenching test method and the measurement of electrical conductivity, hardness, and microstructure after aging. The results indicate that 7,050 alloy has the largest changes with hardness decreasing from HV 199 to HV 167, and electrical conductivity increases from 16.6 to 18.2 MS·m−1 when the distance from quenched end increases from 2 to 100 mm. Alloys 7,085 and 7,021 have relatively smaller changes. According to the relationship between the hardness and electrical conductivity of a supersaturated solid solution, 7,050 alloy has higher quench sensitivity than 7,085 and 7,021 alloys. The microstructure of 7,050 alloy with higher major alloy element (Zn + Mg + Cu) addition and Cu element addition is mostly affected by the changes of distance from quenched end. In 7,050 alloy, the size of intragranular precipitates is from about 10–200 nm, and the (sub) grain boundary precipitates are about 20–300 nm. Alloy 7,085 with lower Cu content is moderately affected, while 7,021 is least affected. It is found that with the increase of distance from quenched end, quenched-induced precipitate preferentially nucleates and grows in the (sub) grain boundary and then on the pre-existing Al3Zr particles.