Abstract
Quench sensitivity in two Al-Mg-Si alloys, one Cu-free and the other with low Cu additions (~0.1 wt%), both having the same amounts of other solutes, has been investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and corresponding material hardness. A two stage hardness evolution during an isothermal heat treatment was observed with slow cooling after solution heat treatment. This effect was less pronounced in the Cu-added alloy. However maximum hardness was not influenced by cooling rate, which could be related to higher precipitate number densities and volume fractions. Both alloys were over-aged faster in the slow cooling conditions