Study on mechanical properties and texture of 6111 aluminum alloy sheet in automotive industry

Mechanical properties and textures in different directions of 6111 aluminum alloy sheet under T4P and paint-baked(185 ℃×20 min)states were investigated.The results show that the mechanical properties of the alloy sheet under the two states are clearly different in the different directions with the highest yield strength in the rolling direction,which can reach 171 MPa and 261 MPa,respectively,with the increment of 90 MPa after bake-hardening,but the highest elongation appears in the 45° to rolling direction,the highest r and n values observed in the rolling direction while the lowest in the 45° to rolling direction.The microstructure of the T4P alloy have been completely recrystallized with smaller grains in the surface layer than those in the center part,and the length-width ratio of recrystallization grains in the longitudinal section is higher than that in the transverse section.The gradient distribution of the textures of the alloy is obvious along the sheet thickness that {001} 100 cube and {114} 131 texture in the β orientation in the sheet surface,and {001} 100 cube and {114} 131 rotated cube textures in the sheet center,the relationship befween mechanical properties and texture in the 6111 aluminium alloy sheet is established.