Effect of Scandium Additions on the Tensile Properties of Cast Al-6Mg alloys

Effect of aging on the mechanical properties of Al-6Mg alloy doped with varying concentration of scandium ranging from 0.2 to 0.6 wt.% is analyzed. As-cast samples were aged isochronally for 60 min at different temperatures ranging from 100 to 500 C. Evaluation of mechanical properties of the aged Al-6Mg (Sc) alloys was done by employing an Instron testing machine. Various strain rate of testing were used to find out the values of strain-rate sensitivity of the experimental alloys. The influence of scandium is much pronounced on yield strength than on the tensile strength. Alloys with higher scandium content have shown higher yield strength and the values of strain-rate sensitivity 'ym' at peak-aged condition have been found to be comparatively high at higher scandium concentration. The fracture of the experimental alloys occurs through microvoid coalescence.