Structurally complex phase engineering enables hydrogen-tolerant Al alloys

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Jiang, Shengyu; Xu, Yuantao; Wang, Ruihong; Chen, Xinren; Guan, Chaoshuai; Peng, Yong; Liu, Fuzhu; Wang, Mingxu; Liu, Xu; Zhang, Shaoyou; Tian, Genqi; Jin, Shenbao; Wang, Huiyuan; Toda, Hiroyuki; Jin, Xuejun; Liu, Gang; Gault, Baptiste; Sun, Jun
• 署名单位: Xi'an Jiaotong University; Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Xi'an University of Technology; Lanzhou University; Shandong University; Hebei University of Technology; Kyushu University; Imperial College London
• 刊物名称: Nature
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0028-1609
• DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08879-2
• 发表日期: 2025-05-08
• 关键词: total-energy calculations; mechanical-properties; solute hydrogen; sc alloy; precipitation; embrittlement; EVOLUTION; scandium; fracture; origin

摘要

Hydrogen embrittlement (HE) impairs the durability of aluminium (Al) alloys and hinders their use in a hydrogen economy(1, 2-3). Intermetallic compound particles in Al alloys can trap hydrogen and mitigate HE4, but these particles usually form in a low number density compared with conventional strengthening nanoprecipitates. Here we report a size-sieved complex precipitation in Sc-added Al-Mg alloys to achieve a high-density dispersion of both fine Al3Sc nanoprecipitates and in situ formed core-shell Al-3(Mg, Sc)(2)/Al3Sc nanophases with high hydrogen-trapping ability. The two-step heat treatment induces heterogeneous nucleation of the Samson-phase Al-3(Mg, Sc)(2) on the surface of Al3Sc nanoprecipitates that are only above 10 nm in size. The size dependence is associated with Al3Sc nanoprecipitate incoherency, which leads to local segregation of magnesium and triggers the formation of Al-3(Mg, Sc)(2). The tailored distribution of dual nanoprecipitates in our Al-Mg-Sc alloy provides about a 40% increase in strength and nearly five times improved HE resistance compared with the Sc-free alloy, reaching a record tensile uniform elongation in Al alloys charged with H up to 7 ppmw. We apply this strategy to other Al-Mg-based alloys, such as Al-Mg-Ti-Zr, Al-Mg-Cu-Sc and Al-Mg-Zn-Sc alloys. Our work showcases a possible route to increase hydrogen resistance in high-strength Al alloys and could be readily adapted to large-scale industrial production.