Abstract
The variations during isochronal annealing of cold-rolled commercial pure Al (1050) and Al-Mn (3004) has been investigated between room temperature (RT) and 823 K. The annealing stages have been identified as recovery, partial recrystallization, complete recrystallization and grain growth using positron annihilation lifetime (PAL) spectroscopy, Doppler broadening of annihilation radiation (DBAR) spectroscopy and Vickers microhardness (Hv) measurements. The retardation of complete recovery in Al-Mn alloys is due to the presence of vacancy-Mn complexes. A positive correlation has been found between positron annihilation parameters (tau(av), & S-nor) and mechanical properties (Hv) for the two alloys under investigation.