Biodiesel is a renewable and biodegradable fuel that has the possibility to replace conventional diesel fuel and reduce the environmental pollution. Despite its environmental benefits, it has been shown to cause damage to the vehicle engines, due to its oxidative properties. Different metals, such as copper, zinc and aluminium are present in the vehicle fuel system and have been shown to catalyse the oxidation of biodiesel. Several studies have been performed to investigate the interaction between these metals and fuel. However, some reports concluded contradicting results when it comes to the oxidation of biodiesel in contact with aluminium alloys. This project aimed therefore to investigate and create a simple method for comparing the catalytic effect on oxidation for metals, and use this method to evaluate the degradation rate of biodiesel in contact with aluminium alloys. Different heating methods and coating materials were tested using the biodiesel RME to develop the testing procedure. When a test procedure was established, three filter houses made from cast aluminium alloy and three aluminium ingots with different amount of copper were immersed in RME and the stability was evaluated. The results showed that using an oven at 80 °C to investigate the stability provided the most repeatable results, and the spray paint Auto K billack spray Universal appeared to be compatible to use with RME. The inner untreated surface of the fuel filter houses did not seem to increase the oxidation rate of biodiesel. Aluminium alloys with higher copper content degraded RME more than aluminium alloys with little/no copper, if the surface had been treated mechanically, but not to a large extent. This concludes that aluminium alloys may reduce the stability of biodiesel if it contains much copper and if the surface of the alloy has been treated. However, the detected reduction on oxidation stability could depend on other factors, and therefore it is recommended to conduct further experiments on test the aluminium alloys. / Biodiesel är ett förnybart och biologiskt nedbrytbart bränsle som har möjligheten att ersätta konventionell diesel och minska föroreningen av miljön. Trots dess fördelar så har det visats att bränslet skadar motorerna i fordon, vilket beror på dess oxidativa egenskaper. Olika metaller, såsom koppar, zink och aluminium förekommer i fordons bränslesystem, och dessa har påvisats katalysera oxidationen av biodiesel. Flera studier har genomförts där interaktionen mellan de tidigare nämnda metallerna och biodiesel har undersökts. En del av dessa studier har fått motsägelsefulla resultat när det kommer till interaktionen mellan aluminium legeringar ochbiodiesel. Detta projekt har därför haft som syfte att ta fram en enkelt metod att jämföra metallers katalystiska effekt på biodieslets oxidations stabilitet, samt använda denna metod för att bedöma nedbrytningen av biodiesel i kontakt med aluminium legeringar. Olika uppvärmningsmetoder och täckningsmaterial undersöktes med hjälp av biodiesel gjord på rapsolja, RME, för att ta fram mätmetoden. När ett tillvägagångssätt hade fastlagts, så sänktes bitar av tre olika bränslefilterhus tillverkade av aluminium legeringar, och tre olika aluminium tackor med olika kopparhalter i RME och bränslets stabilitet mättes. Användning av ugn vid 80 °C för att testa biodieslets oxidations stabilitet gav de mest upprepbara resultaten, och sprejfärgen Auto K billack spray Universal var mest kompatibel att använda som täckningsmaterial. Den inre, obehandlade ytan av bränslefilterhusen visade sig inte påverka oxidations stabiliteten på biodieslet. Aluminijm legeringar med en högre koppar halt bröt ned RME lite mer än aluminium legeringar med lite/ingen koppas, men endast om ytan hade blivit mekaniskt behandlad. Detta ger slutsatsen att aluminium legeringar kan minska biodieslets stabilitet om det innehåller mycket koppar och om legeringens yta har blivit behandlad. Däremot så kan den reduktionen av oxidations stabiliteten bero på andra faktorer och det rekommenderas därför att genomföra fler experiment med aluminum legeringar och biodiesel.

Biodiesel is a renewable and biodegradable fuel that has the possibility to replace conventional diesel fuel and reduce the environmental pollution. Despite its environmental benefits, it has been shown to cause damage to the vehicle engines, due to its oxidative properties. Different metals, such as copper, zinc and aluminium are present in the vehicle fuel system and have been shown to catalyse the oxidation of biodiesel. Several studies have been performed to investigate the interaction between these metals and fuel. However, some reports concluded contradicting results when it comes to the oxidation of biodiesel in contact with aluminium alloys. This project aimed therefore to investigate and create a simple method for comparing the catalytic effect on oxidation for metals, and use this method to evaluate the degradation rate of biodiesel in contact with aluminium alloys. Different heating methods and coating materials were tested using the biodiesel RME to develop the testing procedure. When a test procedure was established, three filter houses made from cast aluminium alloy and three aluminium ingots with different amount of copper were immersed in RME and the stability was evaluated. The results showed that using an oven at 80 °C to investigate the stability provided the most repeatable results, and the spray paint Auto K billack spray Universal appeared to be compatible to use with RME. The inner untreated surface of the fuel filter houses did not seem to increase the oxidation rate of biodiesel. Aluminium alloys with higher copper content degraded RME more than aluminium alloys with little/no copper, if the surface had been treated mechanically, but not to a large extent. This concludes that aluminium alloys may reduce the stability of biodiesel if it contains much copper and if the surface of the alloy has been treated. However, the detected reduction on oxidation stability could depend on other factors, and therefore it is recommended to conduct further experiments on test the aluminium alloys. / Biodiesel är ett förnybart och biologiskt nedbrytbart bränsle som har möjligheten att ersätta konventionell diesel och minska föroreningen av miljön. Trots dess fördelar så har det visats att bränslet skadar motorerna i fordon, vilket beror på dess oxidativa egenskaper. Olika metaller, såsom koppar, zink och aluminium förekommer i fordons bränslesystem, och dessa har påvisats katalysera oxidationen av biodiesel. Flera studier har genomförts där interaktionen mellan de tidigare nämnda metallerna och biodiesel har undersökts. En del av dessa studier har fått motsägelsefulla resultat när det kommer till interaktionen mellan aluminium legeringar ochbiodiesel. Detta projekt har därför haft som syfte att ta fram en enkelt metod att jämföra metallers katalystiska effekt på biodieslets oxidations stabilitet, samt använda denna metod för att bedöma nedbrytningen av biodiesel i kontakt med aluminium legeringar. Olika uppvärmningsmetoder och täckningsmaterial undersöktes med hjälp av biodiesel gjord på rapsolja, RME, för att ta fram mätmetoden. När ett tillvägagångssätt hade fastlagts, så sänktes bitar av tre olika bränslefilterhus tillverkade av aluminium legeringar, och tre olika aluminium tackor med olika kopparhalter i RME och bränslets stabilitet mättes. Användning av ugn vid 80 °C för att testa biodieslets oxidations stabilitet gav de mest upprepbara resultaten, och sprejfärgen Auto K billack spray Universal var mest kompatibel att använda som täckningsmaterial. Den inre, obehandlade ytan av bränslefilterhusen visade sig inte påverka oxidations stabiliteten på biodieslet. Aluminijm legeringar med en högre koppar halt bröt ned RME lite mer än aluminium legeringar med lite/ingen koppas, men endast om ytan hade blivit mekaniskt behandlad. Detta ger slutsatsen att aluminium legeringar kan minska biodieslets stabilitet om det innehåller mycket koppar och om legeringens yta har blivit behandlad. Däremot så kan den reduktionen av oxidations stabiliteten bero på andra faktorer och det rekommenderas därför att genomföra fler experiment med aluminum legeringar och biodiesel.

Yes / The performance of the modified friction stir clinched and friction stir spot welded joints of AA5754-O and AA2024-T3 Al alloy was improved by investigating the impact of material flow influencing parameters such as material positioning and tool rotational speed on the microstructure, mechanical and fracture behaviors of the joints. The results reveal that the positioning of a harder material (AA2024-T3) as the upper plate induces higher peak temperatures in the friction stir clinched (500 °C) and friction stir spot welded (475 °C) joints. This positioning favors inter-material mingling, grain coarsening with inherent higher dislocation density and tangles, and improved tensile failure loads in the AA2024-T3/AA5754-O joint than the AA5754-O/AA2024-T3 joint. The formation of partial weld-center defect declines in the AA2024-T3/AA5754-O at low tool rotational speed due to the better local heat build-up and geometric-differential flow effect in comparison with the AA5754-O/AA2024-T3 counterparts. The positioning of harder Al alloy on the top of a soft Al alloy is thus recommended for the improvement of modified friction stir clinched joints.

Semi-solid metal (SSM) casting has been widely used in automotive industries to reduce the weight. In RheoMetalTM process which is one of the variations of SSM, the slurry fabrication can be finished within 30 second and can the slurry making process can be integrated into a high pressure die casting (HPDC) route without significant adjustments, making the process a promising alternative for industrial application. However, the application of SSM is still limited due to the semi-solid deformation-induced casting defects, such as macrosegregation and large pores. Due to the short stirring duration, the inefficient stirring is the leading cause of defects formation. Another critical issue in the RheoMetalTM process is the oxidation during the stirring process, which results in the increase of oxides in the castings, reducing the mechanical properties. This study aims to investigate the ductility and the fatigue performance of SSM castings. The main focuses were on the role of the stirring and oxides. The quenched slurry was analyzed to evaluate the effect of the stirring on the particle distribution in the slurry, and its effect on the formation of pores and segregation was discussed. To investigate the oxidation during the slurry making process, two alloys with different Mg content were cast. Scanning electron microscopy (JEOL JSM-7001F SEM) equipped with Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) was used to identify the oxides on the fracture surface. Tensile test and fatigue test accompanied with direct current potential drop (DCPD) were performed to investigate the ductility and fatigue performance, respectively. The results suggest that the intensive stirring can avoid the formation of the large clusters, making the particle distribution homogeneous in the slurry. The Mg contents determined the types of the oxides formed in the slurry making process. For alloys with sufficient Mg, the oxides would be MgAl2O4, which exist as small films with numerous cracks, while a large oxides film will be formed in the case of low Mg content. The combined influence of porosity and oxides was concluded. In the 42000 alloy, because of the low Mg content, the ductility was dominated by the large oxide films. In contrast, in the Magsimal 59 alloy, the presence of small oxides (less than 0.2 mm in majority) leads to the influence of oxides on the elongation negligible. However, a good correlation was obtained between the largest pores and ductility. The fatigue test shows that the surface liquid segregation (SLS) determined the fatigue strength under cyclic bend loading, due to its higher hardness. The effect of the inner pores on the fatigue performance was negligible, as the maximum stress was applied on the surface. / Halvsolid metall (SSM) gjutning har använts i stor utsträckning inom bilindustrin för att minska vikten. I RheoMetalTM-processen, som är en av varianterna av SSM, kan slurrytillverkningen avslutas inom 30 sekunder och kan slurryframställningsprocessen integreras i en högtrycksgjutningsrutt (HPDC) utan betydande justeringar, vilket gör processen till ett lovande alternativ för industriell tillämpning. Tillämpningen av SSM är dock fortfarande begränsad på grund av de halvfasta deformationsinducerade gjutdefekterna, såsom makrosegregering och stora porer. På grund av den korta omrörningstiden är den ineffektiva omrörningen den främsta orsaken till att defekter bildas. En annan kritisk fråga i RheoMetalTM-processen är oxidationen under omrörningsprocessen, vilket resulterar i ökningen av oxider i gjutgodset, vilket minskar de mekaniska egenskaperna. Denna studie syftar till att undersöka duktiliteten och utmattningsprestandan hos SSM-gjutgods. Huvudfokus var på omrörningens och oxidernas roll. Den kylda uppslamningen analyserades för att utvärdera effekten av omrörningen på partikelfördelningen i uppslamningen, och dess effekt på bildandet av porer och segregation diskuterades. För att undersöka oxidationen under slurrytillverkningsprocessen göts två legeringar med olika Mg-halt. Svepelektronmikroskopi (JEOL JSM-7001F SEM) utrustad med energidispersiv röntgenspektroskopi (EDS) användes för att identifiera oxiderna på brottytan. Dragtest och utmattningstest tillsammans med likströmspotentialfall (DCPD) utfördes för att undersöka duktiliteten respektive utmattningsprestandan. Resultaten tyder på att den intensiva omrörningen kan undvika bildningen av de stora klustren, vilket gör partikelfördelningen homogen i slammet. Mg-innehållet bestämde vilka typer av oxider som bildades i slurrytillverkningsprocessen. För legeringar med tillräckligt med Mg skulle oxiderna vara MgAl2O4, som finns som små filmer med många sprickor, medan en stor oxidfilm kommer att bildas vid låg Mg-halt. Den kombinerade inverkan av porositet och oxider konstaterades. I 42000-legeringen, på grund av det låga Mg-innehållet, dominerades duktiliteten av de stora oxidfilmerna. Däremot, i Magsimal 59-legeringen, leder närvaron av små oxider (mindre än 0,2 mm i majoritet) till att oxidernas inverkan på förlängningen är försumbar. En god korrelation erhölls dock mellan de största porerna och duktiliteten. Utmattningstestet visar att ytvätskesegregeringen (SLS) bestämde utmattningshållfastheten under cyklisk böjbelastning, på grund av dess högre hårdhet. Effekten av de inre porerna på utmattningsprestandan var försumbar, eftersom den maximala belastningen applicerades på ytan.

Hot stamping of aluminium alloys allows for increased formability, decreased springback and the possibility of integrating age-hardening heat treatments into the process. However, it can be challenging due to the occurrence of material transfer of aluminium onto the tool, as aluminium is prone to adhesion even at low temperatures. Hence, lubrication is always necessary when forming aluminium, but lubricants can still fail, leading to direct interaction between tool and workpiece and thus material transfer. This phenomenon reduces the efficiency of the process, as interruptions are necessary for the refurbishment of the tools. Understanding of how material transfer takes place is important in order to find new or improved solutions, in terms of lubrication and surface engineering, to prevent adhesion. Nevertheless, current research in high temperature tribology of aluminium, mainly in terms of material transfer mechanisms, is very limited, as many of the works focus on lubricated conditions and do not look into the fundamental interactions between aluminium alloys and tool steels. In this context, the aim of this work is to investigate the mechanisms behind the occurrence of aluminium alloy transfer onto tool steel during sliding at high temperature and in dry conditions. A hot-strip drawing tribometer was used to perform tests at room temperature, 300°C, 400°C, and 500°C, directly after solubilizing the aluminium alloy at 520°C. Two different topographies for the tool steel were used: ground and polished. Material transfer characterization was performed mainly through scanning electron microscopy. It was found that grinding marks (ground tool steel) and carbides (polished tool steel) act as initiation sites for the transfer to occur. Temperature plays a role on the growth mechanisms of the transfer films during sliding, as thermal softening of the aluminium alloy is the dominant factor in determining the growth direction of the transfer layers. A growth towards the trailing edge (shearing and smearing of the transferred aluminium) or a growth towards the leading edge (build-up of transferred aluminium, leading to a thicker and more localized transfer material).

No description available.

This thesis is based on the PhD work of investigating the Friction Stir Welding process (FSW) with numerical and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) modelling methods. FSW was developed at TWI in 1991. As a relatively new technology it has great advantages in welding aluminium alloys which are difficult to weld with traditional welding processes. The aim of this thesis was the development of new modelling techniques to predict the thermal and deformation behaviour. To achieve this aim, a group of Gleeble experiments was conducted on 6082 and 7449 aluminium alloys, to investigate the material constitutive behaviour under high strainrate, near solidus conditions, which are similar to what the material experiences during the FSW process. By numerically processing the experimental data, new material constitutive constants were found for both alloys and used for the subsequent FSW modelling work. Importantly no significant softening was observed prior to the solidus temperature. One of the main problems with numerical modelling is determining the values of adjustable parameters in the model. Two common adjustable parameters are the heat input and the coefficients that describe the heat loss to the backing bar. To predict these coefficients more efficiently a hybrid model was created which involved linking a conventional numerical model to an ANN model. The ANN was trained using data from the numerical model. Then thermal profiles were abstracted (summarised) and used as inputs; and the adjustable parameters were used as outputs. The trained ANN could then use abstracted thermal profiles from welding experiments to predict the adjustable parameters in the model. The first stage involved developing a simplified FE thermal model which represents a typical welding process. It was used to find the coefficients that describe the heat loss to the backing bar, and the amount of power applied in the model. Five different thermal boundary conditions were studied, including both convective and ones that included the backing bar with a contact gap conductance. Three approaches for abstracting the thermal curves and using as inputs to the ANN were compared. In the study, the characteristics of the ANN model, such as the ANN topology and gradient descent method, were evaluated for each boundary condition for understanding of their influences to the prediction. The outcomes of the study showed that the hybrid model technique was able to determine the adjustable parameters in the model effectively, although the accuracy depended on several factors. One of the most significant effects was the complexity of the boundary condition. While a single factor boundary condition (e.g. constant convective heat loss) could be predicted easily, the boundary condition with two factors proved more difficult. The method for inputting the data into the ANN had a significant effect on the hybrid model performance. A small number of inputs could be used for the single factor boundary condition, while two factors boundary conditions needed more inputs. The influences from the characteristics of the ANN model were smaller, but again thermal model with simpler boundary condition required a less complex ANN model to achieve an accurate prediction, while models with more complex boundary conditions would need a more sophisticated ANN model. In the next chapter, the hybrid method was applied to a FSW process model developed for the Flexi-stir FSW machine. This machine has been used to analyse the complex phase changes that occur during FSW with synchrotron radiation. This unique machine had a complex backing bar system involving heat transfer from the aluminium alloy workpiece to the copper and steel backing bars. A temperature dependent contact gap conductance which also depends on the material interface type was used. During the investigation, the ANN model topologies (i.e. GFF and MFF) were studied to find the most effective one. Different abstracting methods for the thermal curves were also compared to explore which factors (e.g. the peak temperature in the curve, cooling slope of a curve) were more important to be used as an input. According to close matching between the simulation and experimental thermal profiles, the hybrid model can predict both the power and thermal boundary condition between the workpiece and backing bar. The hybrid model was applied to six different travel speeds, hence six sets of heat input and boundary condition factors were found. A universal set was calculated from the six outcomes and a link was discovered between the accuracy of the temperature predictions and the plunge depth for the welds. Finally a model with a slip contact condition between the tool and workpiece was used to investigate how the material flow behaviour was affected by the slip boundary condition. This work involved aluminium alloys 6082-T6 and 7449-T7, which have very different mechanical properties. The application of slip boundary condition was found to significantly reduce the strain-rate, compared to a stick condition. The slip condition was applied to the Flexi-stir FSW experiments, and the results indicated that a larger deformation region may form with the slip boundary condition. The thesis successfully demonstrates a new methodology for determining the adjustable parameters in a process model; improved understanding of the effect of slip boundary conditions on the flow behaviour during FSW and insight in to the behaviour of aluminium alloys at temperatures approaching the solidus and high strain-rates.

L'étude du comportement électrochimique des phases intermétalliques Al2Cu, Al2CuMg, Al7Cu2Fe, (Al,Cu)16Mn4Si3 et MgZn2, caractéristiques des alliages d'aluminium 2214-T6 et 7050-T74 et réalisée à partir d'échantillons massifs synthétisés, a montré que la formation de défauts majeurs dans la couche d'oxyde, obtenue par anodisation des alliages en milieu H2SO4 200 g/l, était directement due à la présence de ces particules au sein des alliages. L'important dégagement gazeux d'oxygène qui se produit à la surface de ces particules lors de l'étape d'anodisation explique la formation de trous et de fractures dans la couche d'oxyde. En milieu marin, ces défauts facilitent la migration des ions chlorures à la surface de l'alliage mise à nu localement et favorisent par conséquent le développement de la corrosion localisée. Les résultats obtenus en milieu NaCl 35g/l ont permis de mieux comprendre le mécanisme de corrosion des phases intermétalliques ainsi que leur rôle sur la propagation des piqûres. L'élimination des particules intermétalliques de la surface des alliages lors de l'étape de décapage (avant anodisation) permet de favoriser une croissance plus régulière de la couche d'oxyde lors de l'anodisation. Par conséquent, la résistance à la corrosion des alliages 2214 et 7050 augmente considérablement, permettant d'atteindre les objectifs fixés lors de ce projet / The electrochemical behaviour of the bulk intermetallic particles such as Al2Cu, Al2CuMg, Al7Cu2Fe, (Al,Cu)16(Mn,Fe)4Si3 and MgZn2 showed that the formation of wide defects in the oxide layer during the 2214-T6 and 7050-T74 alloys anodization was directly due to the presence of these kind of particles in the microstructure which are able to sustain both high dissolution rate and high water oxidation kinetics in acidic electrolyte. In marine environment, these defects facilitate the migration of aggressive ions like chloride on the locally bare alloys and are the onset of the pitting corrosion. The results obtained in 3.5 wt.% sodium chloride electrolyte permit to understand the corrosion mechanism of the intermetallic phases and their influence on the pits propagation. The optimization of the alloys pickling conditions in order to remove this kind of particles (prior to the anodization step) has been investigated in this work. Consequence of removing intermetallic particles, the aluminium enrichment of the surface facilitates the oxide growth and the formation of regular layer. The corrosion tests on treated aluminium alloys have clearly showed the influence of the pickling step on the resistance corrosion of 2214 and 7050 alloys, reaching the objectives fixed in this project

A indústria aeronáutica está constantemente à procura de materiais que ofereçam benefícios em termos de redução de peso, desempenho e custo. Corrosão e fadiga em ligas de alumínio são questões importantes na avaliação da vida útil em estruturas de aeronaves e na gestão de frotas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os processos de corrosão e corrosão-fadiga nas ligas 2198-T851 e 7081-T73511, que são promissoras substitutas das ligas 2524-T3 e 7050-T7451 normalmente utilizada pela indústria aeronáutica. As técnicas de potencial de circuito aberto (PCA), polarização potenciodinâmica, polarização potenciodinâmica em eletrodo cilíndrico rotatório, espectroscopia de impedância eletroquímica (EIE), eletrodo vibratório de alta resolução (SVET) e mapeamento de potencial (SKP) foram utilizadas para esclarecer e quantificar os mecanismos de corrosão destas ligas de alumínio. Os ensaios de fadiga e corrosão-fadiga foram realizados com uma razão de carga (R) de 0,1 e frequência de 15 Hz em ar e 0,1 Hz em meio de névoa salina. As amostras, antes e após os testes de corrosão e corrosão-fadiga foram analisadas usando microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV). As características localizadas das quatro ligas estão essencialmente relacionadas com a existência de compostos intermetálicos que, devido à sua natureza diferente, podem ser catódicos ou anódicos em relação à matriz de alumínio. Os resultados de corrosão-fadiga mostraram uma ligeira redução no limite de fadiga para as ligas da série 2XXX e 7XXX. Essa redução pode ser atribuída à formação de cavidades de corrosão (pites). Considerando o estágio de propagação de trinca, o ambiente salino aumentou a taxa de crescimento de trinca para um mesmo intervalo de fator de intensidade de tensão. / The aircraft industry is constantly looking for improved materials which offer benefits in terms of performance, weight and cost savings. Corrosion and fatigue of aluminium alloys are major issues in the service life assessment of aircraft structures and in the management of aging air fleets. The aim of this study was to evaluate the corrosion and corrosion fatigue processes of 2198-T851 and 7081-T73511 aluminium alloys, which are promising substitutes for the base line 2524-T3 and 7050-T7451 aluminium alloys normally used in aircraft fabrication. Open circuit potential monitoring (OCP), potentiodynamic polarization, potentiodynamic polarization in rotating cylindrical electrode, eletrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Scanning vibrating electrode technique (SVET) and Scanning Kelvin Probe (SKP) techniques have been used to clarify and quantify the corrosion mechanisms of these Al alloys. Fatigue and corrosion fatigue tests were carried out an applied stress ratio (R) of 0.1, 15 Hz frequency for air and 0.1 Hz frequency for salt spray using a sinusoidal wave form in all cases. The specimens, before and after corrosion and corrosion-fatigue testing were analyzed using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The localised features of all the four alloys are essentially related to the existence of intermetallics that, due to their different nature, may be cathodic or anodic sites in relation to the Al matrix. SEM and EDS analysis allowed to identify the intermetallics that are more active in determining the corrosion behavior of the specimens. The fatigue corrosion results show a slightly reduction in the fatigue life limit by chloride environment for the 2XXX and 7XXX aluminium alloys in each aged condition might be partially attributed to the formation of corrosion pits. Considering the crack propagation stage, the saline environment increased the fatigue crack growth rate for the same range of stress intensity factor.

A liga de alumínio 6063 possui um grande interesse industrial, apresentando características que justificam o seu uso mais freqüente quando comparadas às demais ligas de alumínio: a capacidade de endurecimento por precipitação (pois são termicamente tratáveis) aliada à facilidade de serem extrudadas. Estas ligas apresentam elevada ductilidade, que permite o seu uso em operações que acarretam elevados graus de deformação, como a extrusão. Por esse motivo, as ligas Al-Mg-Si apresentam a maior parte do volume de ligas extrudadas. Tendo em vista a freqüente utilização da liga de alumínio 6063, este trabalho estuda a caracterização e a recristalização da liga após a deformação plástica em diferentes graus de redução em área 20%, 50%, 70% e 90%, com tratamentos térmicos de 396ºC, 462ºC e 528ºC e com tempos de recozimento em 1minuto, 10 minutos e 100 minutos Tratamentos Termomecânicos. Observou-se como resultados de uma forma geral, que os tratamentos com 1minuto nas amostras de Al6063 houve pouca ou nenhuma alteração e ao aumentarmos o tempo de recozimento para 10 minutos e depois para 100 minutos os processos de recuperação/recristalização se tornam evidentes e o crescimento de também é observável para os tempos de tratamento em 100 minutos. / The aluminum 6063 alloy possesses a great industrial interest, presenting characteristics that justify its frequent use, when compared to the other aluminum alloys: the precipitation hardening and high cold work capacity. These alloys present high ductility, that allows their use in operations with high deformation degrees, as the cold work. The objective of this work is to show comparative analysis of the hardness Vickers of the commercial aluminum 6063 alloy, after cold work with different area reduction degree and thermal treatment. Considering the frequent utilization aluminium 6063 alloy, this work studies the caracterization and recristalization of this alloy, after the plastc deformation in different area reduction degrees, thermal treatment and convenient tratment times Termomechanic Tratments.