Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of A380 Aluminum Alloy Deposited by Cold Spray

The microstructure and mechanical properties of cold-sprayed bulk A380 alloy were investigated after heat treatment at various conditions, using optical and electron microscopy and tensile and hardness tests, respectively. The results revealed that heat treatment increased the strength and ductility of the cold-sprayed A380 alloy deposits compared with as-sprayed state. Heat treatment showed two different effects on the mechanical properties of the deposits. On the one hand, it resulted in effective diffusion at interparticle boundaries that altered the particle bonding mechanism from pure mechanical interlocking to metallurgical bonding. Thus, the strength and ductility of the material were greatly enhanced. On the other hand, interparticle diffusion during high-temperature heat treatment resulted in growth of the Si phase and pores, which ultimately reduced the strength and elongation of the alloy. This observation was consistent with the hardness results, which showed a decreasing trend with increase of the heat treatment temperature.