Modeling the effect of Cr and Zn on microstructure evolution during homogenization heat treatment of AA3xxx alloys

Both of Chromium and Zinc could appear as either minor impurities or alloying elements in recycled and commercial aluminum alloys, and they could have significant effects on the final product properties. In this paper, a KWN modeling approach, built on the base of computational thermodynamics and diffusion kinetics, is employed to investigate the effect of these two minor impurities on dispersoids precipitation during homogenization heat treatment of AA3xxx alloys. It is the aim of the paper to demonstrate that the modeling approach has the potential to guide the design and optimization of the chemical compositions and heat treatment parameters of aluminum alloys.