Effect of Cu and Mn content on solidification microstructure, T-phase formation and mechanical property of AlCuMn alloys

Solidification microstructure of two AlCuMn alloys (Alloy-1: Al-1.6Cu-0.3Mn, Alloy-2: Al-2.2Cu-0.8Mn) and their precipitation behavior during solutionizing and aging treatments were investigated by optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopies. The influence of Cu/Mn content and ratio on mechanical properties was also discussed in this study. Results reveal that Cu/Mn content and ratio have considerable influence on the solidification microstructure of these alloys. In Alloy-1 with low Cu/Mn content and ratio, only small amount of θ-CuAl2 and T-phase (Al20Cu2Mn3) are formed within the interdendritic regions and grains boundaries during solidification. But in Alloy-2 with high Cu/Mn content and ratio, a great amount of bone-like and round multiphase structure is observed in interdendritic regions, which consists of α-Al, θ-CuAl2 and Al13Cu4Mn3 phases. The Al13Cu4Mn3 phase in multiphase structure is demonstrated to be an icosahedral quasicrystalline phase (I-phase). The formation of I-phase in a conventional casting of AlCuMn alloy is related to the stabilizing effect of Fe. Cu/Mn content and ratio also have considerable influence on precipitation behavior of AlCuMn alloy during solutionizing and aging treatment. In Alloy-2, two morphologies of T-phase are formed: large particulate one is transformed from the instability decomposition of I-phase at high temperature and the fine rod-like is precipitated from supersaturated Al solid solution. And further aging does not lead to new precipitates. At each test temperature, both the YS and UTS of Alloy-2 are higher than that of Alloy-1 which is related to the formation of a great amount of T-phase particles during solution treatment. •I-phase is first found to form in a conventional casting of AlCuMn alloy.•I-phase is in a form of poly-phase structure of α-Al + θ-CuAl2 + I-phase (Al13Cu4Mn3).•During solutionizing, large particulate T-phase is formed from instability decomposition of I-phase.•Another fine rod-like T-phase is precipitated from supersaturation Al solution.