Abstract:The effect of transition elements on grain refinement of 7475 aluminum alloy sheets produced by warm rolling was investigated. The alloy which contains zirconium instead of chromium showed ultra fine structures with stable subgrains after warm rolling at 350 °C, followed by solution heat treatment at 480 °C. The average subgrain diameter was approximately 3 μm. It became clear that zirconium in solution has the effect of stabilizing subgrains due to precipitation of fine Al₃Zr compounds during warm rolling. On the other hand, chromium-bearing compounds precipitate before warm rolling and they grow up to relatively large size during warm rolling. The warm rolled sheets with fine subgrains have unique properties compared with conventional 7475 aluminum alloy sheets produced by cold rolling. The warm rolled sheets solution heat treated had subgrain structures through the thickness with a high proportion of low-angle boundary less than 15°. The strength of the warm rolled sheets in T6 condition was about 10% higher than that of conventional 7475 aluminum alloy sheets. As the most remarkable point in the warm rolled sheets, the high Lankford (r) value of 3.5 was measured in the orientation of 45° to rolling direction, with the average r-value of 2.2. The high r-value would be derived from well developed β-fiber textures, especially with the strong {011}á211？ brass component. The warm rolled sheets also had high resistance to SCC. From Kikuchi lines analysis and TEM images, it was found that PFZs were hardly formed along the low- angle boundaries of the warm rolled sheets in T6 condition. This would be a factor to lead to the improvement of resistance to SCC because of reducing the difference in electrochemical property between the grain boundary area and the grain interior.

Key words: warm rolling; aluminum-zinc-magnesium-copper; grain refinement; stress corrosion cracking