Effect of heat treatments on discontinuous precipitation kinetics in Al-30 wt.% Zn alloy

The discontinuous precipitation kinetics in Al-30% wt. Zn alloy have been investigated at temperatures ranging from 348 to 503 K (75 to 230 °C) by using an optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential dilatometer, differential scanning calorimetry and microhardness measurement. We have found that at all temperatures less than 180 °C the supersaturated solid solution of quenched alloy was observed to decompose completely by a cellular...