Quantitative transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography study of Ag-dependent precipitation of Ω phase in Al-Cu-Mg alloys

The close association between the Ω precipitation and various Ag additions is systematically investigated by quantitative transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography analysis. Our results suggest that the precipitation of Ω phase is strongly dependent on Ag variations. Increasing the bulk Ag content favors a denser Ω precipitation and hence leads to a greater age-hardening response of Al-Cu-Mg-Ag alloy. This phenomenon, as proposed by proximity histograms, is directly related to the greater abundance of Ag solutes within Ω precursors. This feature lowers its nucleation barrier and increases the nucleation rate of Ω phase, finally contributes to the enhanced Ω precipitation. Also, it is noted that increasing Ag remarkably restricts the precipitation of θ' phase.