Hardness vs Brittleness Aluminum

[snowJT]

I'm wondering if anyone is willing to share some comparison numbers between any aluminum's hardness value and its impact resistance value.

A friend and I are disagreeing on something, I think the harder the treatment is, the more brittle it becomes. He doesn't think so.

 

[mpm]

I don't have any kind of numbers, facts or figures on me, but I am a material engineer. Generally, whenever a material is hardened, it becomes more brittle in a sense. It doesn't mean that it becomes brittle, but the material loses its ductility. That is the reason for say annealing. It keeps the hardness levels, but it returns the materials ductility.

Hope that helps a little.

 

[ravenprp]

The hardness and brittleness of aluminum are two distinct properties that can affect its overall strength and durability. Hardness refers to a material's resistance to indentation or scratching, while brittleness is the tendency of a material to fracture or break under stress.

In general, as the hardness of aluminum increases, its brittleness also tends to increase. This is because the process of increasing hardness often involves altering the microstructure of the metal, making it more susceptible to cracking under stress. However, this relationship is not always linear and can vary depending on the specific alloy and treatment process used.

To compare hardness and impact resistance values for different types of aluminum, it would be helpful to look at specific data and testing results. For example, the Rockwell hardness scale is commonly used to measure the hardness of metals, including aluminum. Impact resistance can be measured through various tests, such as Charpy or Izod impact tests, which measure the amount of energy needed to fracture a material.

It is important to note that while hardness and brittleness are related, they are not the only factors that affect a material's overall strength and durability. Other factors such as composition, heat treatment, and manufacturing processes also play a role.

In conclusion, while there is a general correlation between hardness and brittleness in aluminum, it is not a simple direct relationship. It would be best to gather specific data and compare results to fully understand the relationship between these two properties in aluminum.