Serration in A l-Zn Alloys Containing a Small Amount of Fe

Effect of addition of Fe on the occurrence of serration in Al-12mass%Zn alloys was investigated. Specimens aged at 293K for various periods after quenching from various temperatures (T(Q)), 398K to 823K, were tensile-tested at room temperature. Serration occurred more easily and more remarkably with decreasing T(Q) for as-quenched specimens: in the case that T(Q)=448K serration was observed both for the binary and Fe added alloys, while in the case that T(Q)=573K none of the three alloys showed serration. For the binary alloy serration was observed only when the aging period was short enough, but addition of Fe to the binary alloy prolonged the aging period where serration could be recognized. Aging rate measured by hardness was remarkably retarded with the increase of Fe addition. These results confirm the interpretation that the serration in Al-Zn alloy occurs in the early stage of aging where small GP zones or solute clusters are formed.