Complas 2025

COMPLAS 2025

Crystal Plasticity Simulations of Texture Evolution and 3D Microstructure Characterization of 6XXX Aluminium Alloys with High Recycling Content

Cantergiani, Elisa (Monash University)
Kammbach, Tristan (Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin)
Liang, Zeqin (Novelis Switzerland SA)
Roters, Franz (Max-Planck Institute for Sustainable Material)
Garcia Moreno, Francisco (Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin)
Gonzalez Duque, Laura (The University of Manchester)
Quinta da Fonseca, Joao (The University of Manchester)
Robson, Joseph (The University of Manchester)

In session: 302C - Plasticity and Damage at the Microscale: Modeling, Simulation, and Experimental Synergy III

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Predicting the distribution and morphology of cube texture in 6xxx aluminium alloys rolled sheets is key for bending and roping performances of automotive sheets. Recent improvements in full-field spatially resolved crystal plasticity models allow for better understanding of the influence of rolling strain rate and temperature on cube texture evolution. Both experiments and simulations have demonstrated that, during hot rolling, stabilization of cube texture occurs for high values of strain rate sensitivity and activation of non-octahedral slip systems. During cold rolling, low values of strain rate sensitivity fragment cube grains. Furthermore, the influence of different hot band microstructures on texture development during cold rolling and solution annealing was studied. Hot bands developing microstructures with low beta fiber intensities and low kernel average misorientation reduce the probability of preferential cube nucleation during solution annealing. Despite these computational efforts, texture is only one factor affecting formability of 6xxx aluminium alloys; especially when the amount of recycling scrap used for aluminium alloy development needs to be increased to reduce the CO2 footprint. A larger amount of aluminium scrap used for 6xxx aluminium alloy production means an increase in the concentrations of iron and silicon and thus a higher fraction of intermetallics in the microstructure. These intermetallics are brittle phases which can have different morphologies and crystallographic structures and can break down during the rolling process creating microvoids which are detrimental for forming performances. To assess their effect on the microstructure evolution, 3D characterization techniques like laboratory x-ray tomography and synchrotron are important. These techniques have shown that the morphology of intermetallics is affected by the amount of manganese when iron and silicon increase. Moreover, the distribution of intermetallics and microvoids through the aluminium sheet thickness can be obtained, allowing for a proper optimization of the rolling schedule.