Research ArticleOpen AccessGoogle Scholar indexed
On the Role of Copper and Cooling Rates on the Microstructure, Defect Formations and Mechanical Properties of Al-Si-Mg Alloys
Materials and Manufacturing-Casting, Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, J?nk?ping University, J?nk?ping, Sweden.
Materials and Manufacturing-Casting, Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, J?nk?ping University, J?nk?ping, Sweden.
Materials and Manufacturing-Casting, Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, J?nk?ping University, J?nk?ping, Sweden.
- 1 Materials and Manufacturing-Casting, Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, J?nk?ping University, J?nk?ping, Sweden.
- 2 Materials and Manufacturing-Casting, Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, J?nk?ping University, J?nk?ping, Sweden.
- 3 Materials and Manufacturing-Casting, Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, J?nk?ping University, J?nk?ping, Sweden.
Materials Sciences and Applications·Volume 04 (2013)·Pages 171–178·Published 29 March 2013·DOI10.4236/msa.2013.43020
Copy link · social · email
Abstract
This paper aims to assess the role of Cu on Al-Si-Mg alloys, in a range of 0 - 5 wt%, qualitatively on microstructure, defect formation, in terms of porosity, and strength in the as-cast conditions. The ternary system of Al - Si - Mg, using the A356 alloy as a base material, were cast using the gradient solidification technique; applying three different solidifica tion rates to produce directional solidified samples with a variety of microstructure coarsenesses. Microstructural ob servations reveal that as the Cu levels in the alloys are increased, the amounts of intermetallic compounds as well as the Cu concentration in the α -Al matrix are increased. Furthermore, the level of porosity is unaffected and the tensile strength is improved at the expense of ductility.
KeywordsAluminium-Silicon AlloysMicrostructureMechanical PropertiesGradient Solidification
- C. Caceres, I. L. Svensson and J. Taylor, “Strength-Ductility Behaviour of Al-Si-Cu-Mg Casting Alloys in T6 Temper,” International Journal of Cast Metals Research, Vol. 15, No. 5, 2003, pp. 531-543.
- S. Seifeddine and I. L. Svensson, “The Effect of Cooling Conditions and Variation of Alloying Elements on the Microstructural and Mechanical Properties of Al-7%Si Cast Alloys,” Giessereiforschung, Vol. 58, No. 3, 2006, pp. 50-54.
- A. L. Dons, G. Heiberg, J. Voje, J. S. Maeland, J. O. Loland and A. Prestmo, “On the Effect of Additions of Cu and Mg on the Ductility of AlSi Foundry Alloys Cast with a Cooling Rate of Approximately 3 K/s,” Materials Science and Engineering A, Vol. 413, 2005, pp. 561-566. doi:10.1016/j.msea.2005.09.053
- S. G. Shabestari and H. Moemeni “Effect of Copper and Solidification Conditions on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Al-Si-Mg Alloys,” Journal of Materials Processing Technology, Vol. 153-154, 2004, pp. 193-198. doi:10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2004.04.302
- C. H. Caceres, M. B. Djurdjevic, T. J. Stockwell and J. H. Sokolowski, “The Effect of Cu Content on the Level of Microporosity in Al-Si-Cu-Mg Alloys,” Scripta Materialia, Vol. 40, No. 5, 1999, pp. 631-637. doi:10.1016/S1359-6462(98)00492-8
- F. Grosselle, G. Timelli and F. Bonollo, “Doe Applied to Microstructural and Mechanical Properties of Al-Si-Cu-Mg Casting Alloys for Automotive Applications,” Materials Science and Engineering A, Vol. 527, No. 15, 2010, pp. 3536-3545. doi:10.1016/j.msea.2010.02.029
- Z. Muzaffer, K. Erdem and G. Serap, “Influence of Cu Addition on Microstructure and Hardness of Near-Eutectic Al-Si-xCu-Alloys,” Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, Vol. 21, No. 8, 2011, pp. 1698-1702. doi:10.1016/S1003-6326(11)60917-5
- M. Easton, C. Davidson and D. St John, “Effect of Alloy Composition on the Dendrite Arm Spacing of Multicomponent Aluminum Alloys,” Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, Vol. 41, No. 6, 2010, pp. 1528-1538.
- E. H. Samuel, A. M. Samuel and H. W. Doty. “Factors Controlling the Type and Morphology of Cu-Containing Phases in 319 Al Alloy,” AFS Transactions, Vol. 30, 1996, pp. 893-901.
- A. M. Samuel, P. Ouellet, F. H. Samuel and H. W. Doty, “Microstructural Interpretation of Thermal Analysis of Commercial 319 Al Alloy with Mg and Sr Additions,” AFS Transactions, Vol. 105, 1997, pp. 951-962.
- E. Sjolander, “Heat Treatment of Al-Si-Cu-Mg Casting Alloys,” Ph.D Dissertation, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, 2011,