Effect of Sr on forming properties of Al-Mg-Si based alloy sheets

The effects of Sr element on the forming properties of the Al-Mg-Si based alloy sheets were studied by tensile test, metallograph, DSC, XRD, SEM and TEM. The results show that the tensile strength of aluminum alloy sheet added 0.033%(mass fraction)Sr increases comparing with that of free Sr. Simultaneously, the forming properties of sheets evidently increase, the elongation hardenability (n) and plastic strain ratio (r) and Erichsen number increase 27.8%, 11.1%, 10.8% and 12%, respectively, and the forming limit diagram increases evidently, too. The analysis shows that Sr is surface active element, which can refine grains of alloys, promote precipitation, reduce activation energy ofβ phase, and lead the formation ofα-(Al8Fe2Si) phase instead ofβ-(Al5FeSi) phase. As a result, the forming properties of the alloy sheet increase.