World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology 22 2008

The Effect of Ageing Treatment of Aluminum

Alloys for Fuselage Structure-Light Aircraft
Shwe Wut Hmon Aye, Kay Thi Lwin, and Waing Waing Kay Khine Oo

spindle carbide tools on screw machines [4]. The anodizing

Abstract—As the material used for fuselage structure must response rating for 7075 alloy is good using commercially
possess low density, high strength to weight ratio, the selection of available methods. The alloy can be both hard and clear-coat
appropriate materials for fuselage structure is one of the most anodized. The target alloy composition is 2.5% Mg and 5.6%
important tasks. Aluminum metal itself is soft and low in strength. It
can be made stronger by giving proper combination of suitable alloy Zn [5].
addition, mechanical treatment and thermal treatment. The usual
thermal treatment given to aluminum alloys is called age-hardening II. METHODOLOGY
or precipitation hardening. In this paper, the studies are carried out on A. Preparation of 7075 Aluminum Alloy (Al-Zn-Mg)
7075 aluminum alloy which is how to improve strength level for
The target composition of zinc must be 5.6% and the
fuselage structure. The marked effect of the strength on the ternary
alloy is clearly demonstrated at several ageing times and composition of magnesium must be 2.5% in 7075 aluminum
temperatures. It is concluded that aluminum-zinc-magnesium alloy alloy. Firstly, aluminum was melted until all are in the liquid
can get the highest strength level in natural ageing. condition. In this step, flux was covered over the melt. By this
way, metal loss is less. After complete melting of aluminum,
Keywords—Aluminum alloy, ageing, heat treatment, strength. the required amount of zinc was added to the melt. A little
stirring was carried out in the green sand mould. And then
I. INTRODUCTION pouring was carried out. The addition of magnesium to binary
aluminum zinc alloy causes a marked increase in their
T HE very early airplanes were built from very light weight
materials such as bamboo, wood and fabric. As the metal
manufacturing techniques was improved in the early wooden
response to age-hardening. The effect is much greater than
that obtained by adding small quantities of zinc to binary
aluminum-magnesium alloys. So, magnesium was added to
components in airplanes. Nowadays, better and more aluminum zinc alloy. Aluminum zinc alloy was melted again
consistent alloys and composite materials are all contributing in a graphite crucible under a flux consisting of equal parts of
to new structural designs [1]. Materials currently used in zinc chloride and aluminum chloride. Magnesium addition
aircraft construction are classified as either metallic materials was made just before pouring. Care being taken to avoid
or non metallic materials. The most common metals used in burning at the surface of the melt. There are many magnesium
aircraft constructions are aluminum, magnesium, titanium, addition methods. In this melting, magnesium was packaged
steel and their alloys. Among the light metals, although with pure aluminum scrap. This package was directly added
aluminum itself is soft and low in strength, it can be made into the melt. To avoid magnesium burning on the surface of
stronger by giving proper combination of suitable alloy[2]. the melt, a little stirring was carried out. To get homogeneous
The properly treated aluminum alloy may posses a strength aluminum zinc magnesium alloy, this alloy was melted again.
level about thirty times that of pure aluminum. In terms of Chemical analysis was carried out on samples machined
specific strength (the ratio of strength to density) a properly from near the top and bottom of each ingot. The billets, after
treated aluminum alloy is about three times that of normal machining were homogenized at 375°C for 24 hr in muffle
structural steels [3]. For aircraft structure, the construction furnace. When possible, the billets were hot forged and
material must be as light as possible so as to increase pay load annealed at 375°C for 24 hr. When the magnesium content
and fuel consumption. Among the aluminum alloys, 7075 exceeded 1%hot forging was necessary with intermediate
aluminum alloy (Al-Zn-Mg) has the highest strength and good anneals at 375°C. The specimens were cut from the strips and
strength to weight ratio. It is ideally used for highly stressed the machined surfaces were polished on emery papers.
parts. It may be formed in the annealed condition and
subsequently heat treated.7075 aluminum alloy offers good B. Chemical Analysis
machinability when machined using single-point or multi- This sample was drilled to obtain the chips for testing
chemical analysis. Then this sample was sent to the
Department of Chemical Analysis at Ministry of Mine in
Shwe Wut Hmon Aye is student from Technological University (Hmawbi), Myanmar.
Yangon, Myanmar (e-mail: hmon152@gmail.com).
Kay Thi Lwin is Rector from Technological University (Thanlyin),
Yangon, Myanmar ( e-mail: dr.ktlwin@gmail.com).
Waing Waing Kay Khine Oo is student from Technological Research
Department (Pyin Oo Lwin), Myanmar (e-mail: ww.kaykhineoo@gmail.com).

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C. Heat Treatment of 7075 Aluminum Alloy

Solution treatment of the specimens was carried out at
460°C for at least 20 hr in muffle furnace. And then, the
specimens were quenched in a standard manner into water.
After that, ageing treatment was carried out at 100°C, 150°C,
200°C and room temperature. The time required for a
specimen to reach each temperature was determined, and
allowance for this has been made in plotting the ageing curves.

D. Hardness Testing
In order to obtain a reliable average hardness, Rockwell
Test was used in determination of hardness. In a sample
preparation for hardness testing, the surface layer of test
specimen was removed by grinding. To obtain the actual value
of hardness, samples were measured and their average values
were calculated from at 3 tests. In Rockwell test, Rockwell B
and Rockwell F scale are used. The Rockwell F scale mostly Fig. 1 Microstructure of As Cast Al-Zn-Mg Alloy, 40 X
used for aluminum alloys employing a 1/16 in diameter ball
and 100 kg load gives direct reading for hardness value. In as cast condition, this alloy contains grain boundary
precipitate phases along the grain boundary and near the grain
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS boundary as shown in Fig. 2.
A. Chemical Analysis Results
Composition of Al-Zn-Mg Alloy Sample
Element %
Zinc 5.8
Magnesium 2.2

Standard Composition of 7075 ( Al-Zn-Mg) Alloy

Element %
Zinc 5.6
Magnesium 2.5

By comparing these two compositions, it is obvious that the

chemical composition of test sample Al-Zn-Mg alloy is very
similar to the standard composition. And so, it can be said that
the chemical composition of prepared Al-Zn-Mg alloy is
suitable to use as structural materials. Fig. 2 Microstructure of as cast Al-Zn-Mg which contains Many
Precipitate Phases along the Grain Boundary before Solution
B. Microstructural Examination Treatment, 200X
The microstructure of as cast Al-Zn-Mg alloy shown in Fig.
1, dendrites structures were observed in fast cooling rate And then, the alloy should be solution treated above solidus
samples. temperature as the liquation occurs of the compound at the
This structure was obtained from the ingot which has been grain boundary regions, render the alloy brittle and thus
cooled quickly to obtain equi-axed network structure. This adversely affects the ductility and other mechanical properties.
network structure is made up of particles of several After solution treatment, some precipitate along and near the
intermetallic compounds formed by combinations of the grain boundary are soluble. Some insoluble precipitates
alloying elements in this alloy. Some of these compounds are remains along the grain boundary as shown in Fig. 3.
soluble while others have slight or practically insolubility.

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Fig. 3 Microstructure of Al-Zn-Mg which contains Remain Fig. 5 Variation of Hardness of Al-Zn-Mg Alloy Sample with Ageing
Precipitate Phases along the Grain Boundary after Solution Time at 100 °C
Treatment, 200X

And then, to increase the strength and hardness of the alloy, In Al-Zn-Mg alloy, hardness is continued to increase even
ageing treatment was carried out. During the solution after eight hour ageing time. In this case an initial period of
treatment, the alloy constituents were dissolved. If the alloy gradual hardening was recorded. At this temperature, Al-Zn-
was rapidly cooled, by quenching in water, much of the Mg alloy needs long period for days to get well-defined peak
dissolved material was remained in solution. This artificially hardness. So as to observe the hardening behavior of Al-
rich solid solution was not stable and the excess element or 5.6%Zn-2.5%Mg alloy within practical ageing time limit, the
compound was precipitated out of the solution. These tests were carried out at 150 °C. These results are shown in
precipitate was the fundamental factor determining the Fig. 6.
strength of the hardened material. These are shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 Variation of Hardness of Al-Zn-Mg Alloy Sample with Ageing

Fig. 4 Microstructure of Al-Zn-Mg Alloy Sample (Ageing 95 days at Time at 150°C
Room Temperature), 100X

Fig. 6 shows that maximum hardness of 85.7 HRF was

C. Heat Treatment Results obtained at four hour ageing time. Overageing was occurred
The marked effect of small quantities of magnesium on the after four hour.
extent of hardening in the ternary alloys was early To find out whether useful peak hardness is obtained within
demonstrated at several ageing temperatures. Firstly, Al-Zn- short period of ageing time, the test were conducted even
Mg alloy is aged at 100° C. higher ageing temperature (200°C). These results are
presented in Fig. 7.

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150°C. In this treatment maximum hardness 89.7 HRF was

obtained four days ageing time. After that, ageing of this alloy
at 200°C was further studied. Maximum hardness 71.5 HRF
was obtained at two hour ageing time at 200°C. Then, this
alloy was aged at room temperature. Maximum hardness 135
HRF was obtained at 95 days at this temperature.
Comparing the following testing, maximum hardness value
was obtained at room temperature. At room temperature,
hardening behavior cannot be decreased when time is
increased. So, natural hardening behavior was observed in Al-
Zn-Mg alloy.

REFERENCES
[1] Flinn Trojan, January 1968, Journal of Institute of Metals, Vol 7, 40-50.
[2] Dennis, W.H. 1961. Metallurgy of the Non-Ferrous Metals.
Fig. 7 Variation of Hardness of Al-Zn-Mg Alloy Sample with Ageing [3] Donald R. 1994, Askeland, The Science and Engineering of Materials,
Time at 200 °C Third Edition.
[4] A. K. Watkins and V. Kondic, November 1963, Foundry Journal, 53-63.
[5] I. J. Polemear, 1957-58, Journal of Institute of Metals, Vol-86, 113-121.
Maximum hardness 71.5 HRF was obtained at two hour
ageing time. Overageing was occurred after two hour ageing
time. Comparatively, maximum hardness value of ageing at
150°C is greater than maximum hardness value of ageing at
200°C. Therefore, higher grain coarsening was occurred at
higher temperature. Besides, overageing behavior was
occurred at higher temperature. So, hardness value was
decreased at higher temperature. At this alloy precipitate
coarsening is so high at higher temperature. And then ageing
of the alloy at room temperature is also studied.

Fig. 8 Variation of Hardness of Al-Zn-Mg Alloy Sample with Ageing

Time at Room Temperature

In room temperature ageing, it was observed that hardness

value was increased until 95 days, which data agreeds with the
result given by I.J.POLMEAR [5].

IV. CONCLUSION
In this research, the desired material composition for
fuselage structure can be made by standard melting and alloy
making practice. The composition was also confirmed with
XRF and chemical analysis. And then Al-Zn-Mg alloy was
aged hardened at various temperatures. Firstly, Al-Zn-Mg
alloy was ageing at 100°C. In this treatment, an initial period
of linear hardening was recorded. Then this alloy was aged at

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