Abstract
The weldable aluminium : zinc : magnesium alloys contain 3–5% zinc and 1.2–2.8% Mg, with the total amount of zinc + magnesium in the range 5–7%. Unlike the related high-strength alloys the weldable compositions do not contain copper, because this element can have an adverse effect on weldability, but they contain additions of one or more of the minor elements, manganese, chromium, zirconium, and titanium. The weldable alloys will age-harden at ambient temperature (natural ageing), although higher strengths can be obtained by ageing at moderately elevated temperatures in the range 120–180°C (395–455 K) (artificial ageing). A wide range of mechanical properties can be obtained from the alloys, depending mainly on composition and heat-treatment and partly on the particular wrought form considered. Some typical compositions and mechanical properties are shown in Table 1.
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