Effect of Pre-existing T6 Precipitates on the Recrystallization Texture, Dislocation Structure, and Corrosion Behavior of Cold-Rolled AA 6061 Alloy
Metals and Materials International, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1007/s12540-025-02203-3
- Journal Name: Metals and Materials International
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Compendex, INSPEC, Materials Science & Engineering Collection (ProQuest), Technology Collection (ProQuest)
- Keywords: AA 6061 alloy, Corrosion resistance, EBSD, Recrystallization, T6 precipitates, Texture
- Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
AA 6061 alloy is widely used in aerospace and automotive industries due to its high strength, corrosion resistance, and machinability. This study investigates how pre-existing T6 precipitates influence the microstructural evolution and corrosion behavior during secondary thermomechanical processing. T6-treated AA 6061 samples were subjected to 75% cold deformation followed by recrystallization heat treatments at 200 ℃, 300 ℃, and 400 °C for 2, 4, and 6 h. Microstructural evolution was analyzed via EBSD and XRD, while hardness and electrochemical corrosion tests were conducted. EBSD analysis revealed that HAGB fraction increased from 10% to 73% and average grain size grew from 6.5 μm to 47.4 μm with increasing temperature and time, confirming progressive recrystallization. Results show that the initial T6 microstructure significantly influences the development of texture during both deformation and recrystallization. Low-temperature annealing (200 ℃–300 °C) improves corrosion resistance through recovery and partial recrystallization, while high-temperature treatment (400 °C) severely degrades corrosion performance despite achieving full recrystallization, attributed to precipitate coarsening effects.