Comments on “Modelling differential scanning calorimetry curves of precipitation in Al-Cu-Mg”

Description/Abstract

Hersent et al recently published a paper in which they showed that a Kampmann-Wagner (KW) type model with 5 fittable parameter can fit several aspects of a single DSC curve of a 2024 alloy fairly well. We have much more data than just one DSC curve, most of it published, and can show that the model with fitted parameters does not fit crucial elements of this data. To avoid readers drawing erroneous conclusions from the Hersent et al paper we have produced the present short contribution which highlights the limitations of both the Hersent et al approach and the KW model in general. Hersent et al’s work contradicts our work and that of others on the issue of precipitate sizes in the coarsening stage. Hersent et al also make statements on the small (pre-)precipitates in 2024 alloys which contradict our work and that of several other authors that show the presence of Cu-Mg clusters.