SANS investigation of precipitation in heat-treated AA6082 alloy

The small-angle neutron scattering technique is used in order to detect the microstructure changes induced by two different quench rates and two different ageing treatment in the Al-Mg-Si alloy 4A6082. In particular, small size and large size precipitate particles of Mg2Si are deduced to vary differently for different thermal history. The two kinds of precipitates are known to be related to the mechanical properties of the alloy. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.