Enhancing the Hardness and Impact Energies of Al-Si-Cu-Mg Cast Alloys: Role of Casting Conditions
摘要
In the present project, we studied two aluminum alloys: A319.1 and A413.1. Different metallurgical parameters were applied for each alloy. These parameters included degassing, strontium addition, TiB2 addition, and the amount of hydrogen. Nine different conditions were created for each alloy. All samples underwent solution heating for eight hours at 495 °C for alloys A319.1 and A413.1. Finally, aging was carried out for five hours at 140 °C, 155 °C, 180 °C, 200 °C, 220 °C, and 240 °C. Various examinations were performed on the samples to measure their microstructure and macrostructure, as well as their mechanical properties. Grain size and the morphology of silicon particles and pores were measured to evaluate the microstructure and macrostructure of the alloys. For mechanical properties, hardness and impact strength were measured. The aging of alloys with CuAl2 particles resulted in a better resistance to softening (between 180 °C and 240 °C) compared to those using Mg2Si particles, which exhibited a significant decrease in hardness after reaching their maximum temperature (180 °C). The hardening of the alloys was caused by the precipitation of CuAl2 particles for alloy A319.1. For alloy A413.1, there is a marginal increase in hardness. This is explained by the low copper concentration in the alloy (0.5%). During the impact test, the modified eutectic silicon prevented crack propagation through the structure. The crack must propagate through the α-aluminum of the eutectic, bypassing all the small silicon particles. This fracture mechanism is characteristic of ductile fracture, which increases the impact strength of certain alloys. Approximately 1300 impact samples were used in the present work.