On the kinetics of the growth of Guinier-Preston zones in an Al–6 at% Zn alloy in the range from −50 up to 100 °C

The kinetics of the growth GPZ was investigated in the range from −50 up to 100 °C by means of isothermal resistance measurements. Three ranges (−50 to −18 °C −50 to 50 °C and 70 to 90 °C) were detected which differ in the slope of the straight lines given by the logarithm of the time (tmax) to get the maximum of resistivity plotted versus the reciprocal of the annealing temperature. The values of the apparent formation energy (E) and the migration energy (E) are given. There are some arguments that in the three ranges investigated different sorts of zinc–vacancy complexes influence mainly the growth of the GPZ, namely ZnV2 (−50 to −18 °C), ZnV (−5 to 50 °C), and Zn2V (70 to 90 °C). The binding energy (E) of the different complexes is calculated.