Peening Natural Aging of Aluminum Alloy by Ultra-High-Temperature and High-Pressure Cavitation

The peening solution treatment was performed on AC4CH aluminum alloy by ultra-high-temperature and high-pressure cavitation (UTPC) processing, and the peening natural aging was examined. Furthermore, peening artificial aging treatment by low-temperature and low-pressure cavitation (LTPC) was performed, and the time course of peening natural aging and peening artificial aging were compared and investigated. It was found that when the AC4CH alloy is processed for an appropriate time by UTPC processing, compressive residual stress is applied and natural aging occurs. In addition, the UTPC processing conditions for peening natural aging treatment with high compressive residual stress and surface hardness were clarified. After peening artificial aging by LTPC processing, the compressive residual stress decreases slightly over time, but the compression residual stress becomes constant by peening natural aging through UTPC treatment. In contrast, it was found that neither natural nor artificial peening natural aging occurs after processing for a short time.