TY - JOUR

T1 - Comparative analysis of experimental techniques for microstructural characterization of novel nanostructured aluminium alloys

AU - Willenshofer, Patrick

AU - Santa Rosa Coradini, Diego

AU - Renk, Oliver

AU - Uggowitzer, Peter

AU - Tunes, Matheus Araujo

AU - Pogatscher, Stefan

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s)

PY - 2024/7/11

Y1 - 2024/7/11

N2 - Precipitation holds a pivotal role in comprehending the intrinsic behavior of materials. In the design of nanostructured metallic alloys, precipitates have found to increase the alloys' stability and response under extreme environmental conditions. Studies on precipitation often rely on conventional and ex situ electron-microscopy methods, but a systematic investigation that compares different sample conditions during heat treatment and its microstructural implications are rarely available. In this context, we employed a novel ultrafine-grained AlMgZnCuAg crossover alloy to compare three distinct conditions for investigating the precipitation sequence: (i) ex situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) from bulk heating, (ii) ex situ TEM from TEM foil heating, and (iii) in situ TEM with microelectromechanical-system (MEMS) heating. Although the heat treatment procedure was consistent across all cases studied, the application of these three different experimental conditions in the same alloy system resulted in significant and non-negligible differences in the final precipitation behavior. Ultimately, it resulted in observable microstructural variations and precipitates with distinctively different shape and sizes and, as a result, we outline herein the major similarities and differences among these techniques to achieve comparable results. This knowledge will help to compare and assess results of precipitation sequences obtained in different conditions.

AB - Precipitation holds a pivotal role in comprehending the intrinsic behavior of materials. In the design of nanostructured metallic alloys, precipitates have found to increase the alloys' stability and response under extreme environmental conditions. Studies on precipitation often rely on conventional and ex situ electron-microscopy methods, but a systematic investigation that compares different sample conditions during heat treatment and its microstructural implications are rarely available. In this context, we employed a novel ultrafine-grained AlMgZnCuAg crossover alloy to compare three distinct conditions for investigating the precipitation sequence: (i) ex situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) from bulk heating, (ii) ex situ TEM from TEM foil heating, and (iii) in situ TEM with microelectromechanical-system (MEMS) heating. Although the heat treatment procedure was consistent across all cases studied, the application of these three different experimental conditions in the same alloy system resulted in significant and non-negligible differences in the final precipitation behavior. Ultimately, it resulted in observable microstructural variations and precipitates with distinctively different shape and sizes and, as a result, we outline herein the major similarities and differences among these techniques to achieve comparable results. This knowledge will help to compare and assess results of precipitation sequences obtained in different conditions.

KW - (in situ) Transmission Electron Microscopy

KW - Aluminium crossover alloys

KW - Heat treatment

KW - Precipitation analysis

KW - STEM-EDX analysis

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85198305298&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.matchar.2024.114154

DO - 10.1016/j.matchar.2024.114154

M3 - Article

VL - 215.2024

JO - Materials characterization

JF - Materials characterization

SN - 1044-5803

IS - September

M1 - 114154

ER -