Precipitation Behavior of Aluminum-Manganese Alloy under Different Heating Methods

The physical properties desired for various applications of aluminum alloys are usually modified by tailoring their precipitation behavior during heat treatment. In this study, the precipitation behavior of a cast AlMn alloy annealed with two heating methods (electric resistance heating and radiative furnace heating) at different temperature has been studied through the electrical conductivity (EC) test, and scanning electron microscope. The impact of the two heating methods on the mechanical properties of the treated Al-Mn samples was evaluated through hardness and EC analysis. The results clearly show that under the conditions of electric resistance heating, the precipitation kinetics of the alloy is promoted. The mechanisms behind this phenomenon are discussed in detail.