Theeffectsofisothermalholdingprocessonthemicrostructureevolutionofsemi-solid7075strengthaluminumalloyproducedbytherecrystallisationandpartialremelting(RAP)processwereinvestigated.Tensilemechanicalpropertiesofas-receivedandthixoformedalloysatroomtemperaturewereexamined.Theresultsshowthatthemicrostructureofas-receivedalloyexhibitsremarkableorientationalongthedeformationdirection.Withtheincreaseofisothermalholdingtime,thesolidparticlegrainsizecontinuouslyincreasesandthedegreeofspheroidizationalsoimproves.Coalescencemechanismisdominantwhenreheatedat595°CandOstwaldripeningmechanismisdominantwhenreheatedat615°Cinthesemi-solidstate.Alowercoarseningrateisobservedfor615°C(coarseningrateK=391μm3s-1)comparedwiththecoarseningratefor595°C(coarseningrateK=501μm3s-1).TheRAP7075aluminumalloycanbesuccessfullythixoformedandthefillingofcomponentsisgoodafterthixoforming.Thethixoformedcomponentsexhibitfavoritemechanicalproperties.
