Fatigue performance rejuvenation of corroded 7075-T651 aluminum alloy through ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification.

[Display omitted] • UNSM repairs the corroded surface and induces compressive residual stresses. • UNSM is effective in rejuvenating the fatigue life of corroded aluminum alloy. • The fatigue life of the rejuvenated samples is comparable to the untreated ones. In this study, ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM) was used to rejuvenate the fatigue performance of pre-corroded 7075-T651 aluminum alloy. The fatigue life of specimens subjected to pre-corrosion and burnishing was found to be only slightly higher than that of corroded specimens, while the fatigue life of the specimens subjected to pre-corrosion and UNSM treatment was twenty times higher than that of the corroded specimens. The findings of this study demonstrate that the repair of the corroded surface layer, surface work-hardening, and beneficial compressive residual stress induced by UNSM are responsible for the fatigue performance rejuvenation of the pre-corroded alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]