A comparative study on Sn macrosegregation behavior of ternary Al-Sn-Cu alloys prepared by gravity casting and squeeze casting

A comprehensive study on Sn macrosegregation behavior in ternary Al-Sn-Cu alloys was carried out by comparative analysis between gravity casting and squeeze casting samples.The microstructure and Sn distribution of the castings were characterized by metallography,scanning electron microscopy(SEM),energy-dispersive X-ray(EDX)spectroscopy,and a direct reading spectrometer.Results show that there are obvious differences in Sn morphology between gravity casting and squeeze casting alloys.Under squeeze casting condition,the grain size of the casting is smaller and the distribution ofβ(Sn)is uniform.This effectively reduces the segregation of triangular grain boundary as well as the segregation of Sn.The segregation types of Sn in gravity casting and squeeze casting samples are obviously different.The upper surfaces of gravity casting samples show severe negative segregation,while all the lower surfaces have positive segregation.Compared with gravity casting,squeeze casting solidifies under isostatic pressure.Due to the direct contact between the upper surface of the casting and the mold,the casting solidifies faster under higher undercooling degree and pressure.Consequently,the uniform distribution of Sn reduces the segregation phenomenon on the surface of the casting.

Effects of macrosegregation on mechanical and tribological properties of squeeze casting immiscible bearing alloys

The macrosegregation behaviors of Al-Sn-Cu ternary immiscible alloy castings and their effects on mechanical and tribological properties were investigated.The results demonstrate that Sn and Cu segregate in the casting simultaneously,and the mass fraction of the two elements has a"U"shaped distribution.Significantly,positive and negative segregation occur in the casting,with positive segregation appearing on the top and lower surfaces and negative segregation on the remaining surfaces,with the 1/2 surface(hot node location)having the highest degree of negative segregation.Furthermore,the results of Vickers hardness,tensile strength,and elongation show that Sn and Cu cooperatively affect the mechanical properties of castings.The higher the mass fraction of Sn and Cu elements,the higher the hardness,the greater the tensile strength,and the better the elongation.The findings of the step-by-step loading tests demonstrate that the segregation of Sn and Cu significantly impacts the tribological characteristics of the castings.The higher the mass fraction of Sn and Cu on the sample surface,the better the tribological characteristics.