ABSTRACT:In this research a surface hardening process by Ni coating and subsequent diffusion heat treatments was studied at 7075 Aluminum alloy. Nickel coatings with different thickness were obtained by change the coating time and current density. Heat treatments at 450 °C, 500 °C, and 550 °C for times (6, 12, 24) hours were performed in order to obtain surface hardening required of the aluminum alloy by diffusion of nickel into the substrate. The effect of temperature and diffusion time on surface hardness of Al 7075 alloy was studied. Surface hardness about 800 [HV] were achieved after heat treatment at 500 °C for 24 hour by diffusion of Ni in the substrate and cause of formation of Al 3 Ni 2 intermetallic phase, as x-ray diffraction tests of samples showed. While is about 670 [HV] after heat treatment at 550 °C for 24 hour because of diffusion of aluminum toward the surface of sample, as x-ray diffraction tests of samples showed.
INTRODUCTIONAluminum and its alloys are attractive for many applications in chemical, automobile and aerospace industries because of their excellent properties as height strength-to-weight ratio, high electrical and thermal conductivities and good formability, however their hardness is poor in comparison of steel and continuous efforts are made in the research into new possibilities for making use of the advantage of the aluminum in application that were reserved up to now for harder materials. The solution mainly adopted is to produce a thick hardened layer on the substrate by three major methods:• Thermochemical Diffusion treatments methods (case hardening) as Nitriding We have known that researchers have studied the surface hardening of 7075 aluminum alloy by various methods mentioned, except by nickel electroplating. Moreover, there is a few of researchers have studied the effect of nickel electroplating on the surface hardness of different aluminum alloys. Where A.Ul-Hamid et al studied the effect of the heat treatment of the 2014 aluminum alloy that plated electrically with nickel on the surface mechanical properties as the surface hardness, micro scratch and friction coefficient [4], without study the effect of different temperatures and times of heat treatments on these mechanical properties. So in this work, we studied the effect of temperatures and times of heat treatments on the diffusion of nickel deposited by electroplating of 7075 aluminum alloy, and thus on the surface hardness of the 7075 aluminum alloy.