DEVELOPMENT OF HEAT TREATMENT PROCESS THROUGH MICROSTRUCTURAL CONTROL IN 2017 ALUMINUM ALLOY FOR AEROSPACE APPLICATION

The 2017 aerospace aluminum alloy was characterized through metallographic investigations. A series of precipitation strengthening and age-hardening heat treatment processes involving solution treatment at 550˚ C followed by quenching (and tempering for various time-durations) were conducted for the 2017 alloy. Micro structural characterization of the heat-treated samples showed effective distribution of fine θ particles in the α matrix of the aluminum alloy; these micro structural features enable us to develop proper precipitation strengthening and age-hardening heat-treatment process parameters for the 2017 aluminum alloy for aerospace application.