Effect modeling of Cr and Zn on microstructure evolution during homogenization heat treatment of AA3xxx alloys

Both of chromium and zinc could appear as either minor impurities or alloying elements in recycled and commercial aluminum alloys, and they could have detrimental effects on the final product properties if not controlled in an appropriate way. A Kampmann-Wagner numerical modeling approach, built on the basis of computational thermodynamics and diffusion kinetics, is employed to investigate the effect of these two minor impurities on dispersoids precipitation during homogenization heat treatment of AA3xxx alloys. The simulation results obtained from different simulation set-ups were compared. The aim is to demonstrate that the modeling approach has the potential to guide the design or optimization of the chemical compositions and heat treatment parameters of aluminum alloys.