Analysis of Chemical Composition Homogeneity in the Cross-section of the Rods Produced from Alloys of 6xxx Group

The alloys from Al–Mg–Si system provide an excellent combination of mechanical properties, heat treatment at extrusion temperature, good weldability, good corrosion resistance and formability. Owing to the high casting speed of rods or slabs, the solidification is rather non-equilibrium, resulting in defects in the material, such as crystalline segregations, the formation of low-melting eutectics, the unfavourable shape of intermetallic phases and the non-homogeneously distributed alloying elements in the cross-section of the rods or slabs and in the entire microstructure. The inhomogeneity of the chemical composition and the solid solution negatively affects the strength, the formability in the warm and the corrosion resistance, and can lead to the formation of undesired phases due to segregation in the material. In this experimental investigation, the cross-sections of the rods from two different alloys of the 6xxx group were investigated. From the cross-sections of the rods, samples for differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) at three different positions (edge, D/4 and middle) were taken to determine the influence of inhomogeneity on the course of DSC curve. Metallographic sample preparation was used for microstructure analysis, whereas the actual chemical composition was analysed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an energy dispersion spectrometer (EDS).