Quantitative analysis of {100} Al plate/lath- and Al rod-shaped precipitates in an aged Al-Cu-Mg-Si alloy using TEM

Abstract

Precipitate parameters, such as length, diameter and thickness of rationally oriented {100}Al plate/lath-shaped and Al rod-shaped precipitates in an age-hardenable Al-Cu-MgSi alloy have been examined quantitatively. An appropriate procedure of the plate- and rodshaped precipitate separation was suggested to determine the precipitate parameters as well as their distribution histograms using bright- (BF) and dark-field (DF) transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images taken in the Al and Al zone axes (ZA).