Nanostructured Al–Zn–Mg–Cu–Zr alloy prepared by mechanical alloying followed by hot pressing

Nanostructured Al–7.8 wt% Zn–2.6 wt% Mg–2 wt% Cu–0.1 wt% Zr alloy was mechanically alloyed (MA) from elemental powders and consolidated by hot press technique. The effect of the milling time and hot pressing process on microstructure was investigated by means of X-ray diffraction measurements (XRD) and analytical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore mechanical properties of samples with different MA time as well as pure aluminum were investigated by microhardness and compression tests. The results show that an Al–Zn–Mg–Cu–Zr homogenous supersaturated solid solution with a crystallite size of 27 nm was obtained after 40 h of milling time. Microstructure refinement and morphological changes of powders from flake to spherical shape were observed by increasing milling time. Phase and microstructural characterization of high density bulk nanostructured samples revealed that increasing milling time up to 40 h leads to formation of MgZn2 precipitation in the alloy matrix. With increasing milling time, density of the samples and crystalline size decrease. Significant enhancement of hardness and compressive strength is observed in the aluminum alloy by increasing milling time up to 40 h which is much higher than pure aluminum. Crystallite size refinement in pure aluminum samples from micro- to nanoscales resulted in 107% and 100% improvement in compressive strength and hardness, respectively. Furthermore the compressive strength and hardness of Al–Zn–Mg–Cu–Zr alloy nanostructured samples increased to 179% and 172%, respectively, compared to nanostructured pure Al, which was produced as reference specimen. 40 h of MA was the optimum case for preparing such an Al alloy and more milling up to 50 h led to deterioration of mechanical properties.