Effects of precipitate morphology on the notch sensitivity of ductile fracture in heat-treatable aluminum alloys

Precipitate morphology evolution (PME) has been achieved in an Al–Mg–Si alloy by using two-step aging treatment. The PME from spherical gradually to rod-/needle-like allows us to track the mechanical properties to the precipitate morphology. For comparison, precipitate content evolution (PCE) was also developed in this alloy using one-step aging treatment, where the shape of precipitates was kept almost the same of needle-like. Systematic...