Effects of grain refining and modification on mechanical properties and microstructures of Al-7.5Si-4Cu cast alloy

Al-7.5Si-4Cu cast alloy melt modified by Al-5Ti-B, RE and Al-10Sr master alloys were poured in the chromite sand moulds, to investigate comparatively the effects of individual or combined additions of grain refiners and modifiers on the mechanical properties, microstructures, grain refining and modification, and intermetallic compounds of the alloy. The results show that the mechanical properties and the microstructures of Al-7.5Si-4Cu cast alloys are improved immensely by combining addition of 0.8%Al-5Ti-B, 0.1%RE and 0.1%Al-10Sr grain refiners and modifiers compared with the individual addition and cast conditions. For individual addition condition, addition of 0.8%Al-5Ti-B master alloy can obtain superior tensile strength, Brinell hardness and finer equiaxedα（Al） dendrites. The alloy with 0.1%RE master alloy shows the highest improvement in ductility because the rare earth can purify the molten metal and change the shape of intermetallic compounds. While the alloy with 0.1%Al-10Sr modifier shows only good improvement in yield strength, and the improvement of other performance is unsatisfactory. The Al-10Sr modifier has a significant metamorphism for the eutectic silicon, but will make the gas content in the aluminum alloy melt increase to form serious columnar grain structures. The effects of grain refining and modification on mean area and aspect ratio have the same conclusions obtained in the mechanical properties and the microstructures analyses.

Effects of Si addition on microstructure, mechanical and thermal fatigue properties of Zn-38Al-2.5Cu alloys

The influence of Si addition on microstructure, mechanical properties and thermal fatigue behavior of Zn-38Al-2.5Cu alloys was investigated. The results show that constitutional supercooling of ZA38 alloys is formed because of the Si addition. Zn-38Al-2.5Cu-0.55Si alloy shows the dramatically refined microstructure and the best mechanical properties. When the Si addition exceeds 0.55%,αdendrites develop and Si phases become larger and aggregate along the dendrites boundaries, decreasing the mechanical properties. Oxides and pits formed by the plastic deformation are the main factors of cracks initiation. During the early stage of crack propagation, the cracks grow at a high speed well described by Paris law because of the porous and loose oxide, and mainly propagate along the dendrites boundaries. During the slow-growth stage, secondary cracks share the energy of crack growth, delaying the propagation of cracks, and the cracks propagate and fracture by the mixture of intergranular and transgranular modes.

Effect of non-isothermal retrogression and re-ageing on through-thickness homogeneity of microstructure and properties of Al-8Zn-2Mg-2Cu alloy thick plate

In order to improve the through-thickness homogeneity and properties of aviation aluminum alloy thick plate.The effect of heating-cooling retrogression and re-ageing on the performance of Al-8Zn-2Mg-2Cu alloy thick plate was investigated by hardness tests, electrical conductivity tests and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) observation.Results revealed that, during retrogression heating, the fine pre-precipitates in surface layer dissolve more and the undissolved η′ or η phases are more coarsened than that of center layer. During slow cooling after retrogression,precipitates continue coarsening but with a lower rate and the secondary precipitation occurs in both layers. Finer precipitates resulting from the secondary precipitation are more in surface. However, the coarsening and secondary precipitation behaviors are restrained in both layers under quick cooling condition. The electrical conductivity and through-thickness homogeneity of precipitates increases while the hardness decreases with cooling rate decreasing. After the optimized non-isothermal retrogression and re-ageing(NRRA) including air-cooling retrogression, the throughthickness homogeneity which is evaluated by integrated retrogression effects has been improved to 94%. The tensile strength, fracture toughness and exfoliation corrosion grade of Al-8Zn-2Mg-2Cu alloy plate is 619 MPa, 24.7 MPa·m^(1/2)and EB, respectively, which indicates that the non-isothermal retrogression and re-aging(NRRA) could improve the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance with higher through-thickness homogeneity.

超声波对Al-5.65Cu合金抗裂性的影响

为了改善Al-Cu合金的热裂倾向,以Al-5.65%Cu合金为研究对象,采用超声波熔体处理技术,研究了超声波对Al-5.65%Cu合金热裂倾向性的影响。利用光学显微镜、热裂测定仪、扫描电镜等分析测试手段,分析了Al-5.65%Cu合金的宏观组织、微观组织、热裂性能及断口形貌等。研究结果表明:Al-5.65%Cu熔体经超声波处理后,合金的结晶组织得到细化,合金的抗裂力值增大,热裂倾向明显降低;在较高温度下处理熔体,获得的Al-5.65%Cu合金抗裂力值也较大;经超声波处理后,热裂断口为沿晶断裂并且存在明显的液膜拉伸痕迹;经超声波处理后的熔体,其冷却速度比没有超声处理的合金要缓慢。

Efects of diferent casting mould cooling rates on microstructure and properties of sand-cast Al-7.5Si-4Cu alloy

In this work, AI-7.5Si-4Cu alloy melt modified by AI-10Sr, RE and AI-5-13-B master alloys was poured into multi-step moulds made from three moulding sands, including quartz, alumina and chromite, to investigate comparatively the effects of different cooling rates of the casting mould on the alloy＇s microstructures and mechanical properties. The results show that with an increase in wall thickness, the cooling rate decreases, the dendrite arm spacing （DAS） increases significantly and the mechanical properties decrease steadily. The elongation is more sensitive to the cooling rate than the tensile strength. No obvious trend of the effect of wall thickness on hardness of the alloy was found. When the cooling rate is at its greatest, the microstructures and mechanical properties are the best when using chromite sand. The improvement of the properties is mainly attributed to the decrease of the DAS, the grain refinement and the metamorphic effect. Each of the three has a strong impact on the microstructures. Furthermore, a series of fitting models was established based on the data of the DAS to predict the mechanical properties of the multivariate sand-cast AI-7.5Si-4Cu alloy,

RHEOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR OF PARTIALLY SOLIDIFIED AL-10%Cu ALLOY

The rheological behavior of partially solidified Al-10% Cu alloy is in-vestigated.It is found that the slurry presents the character of a psoudoplastie fluid inisothermally holding and the apparent viscosity increases with increasing cooling ratein continuously cooling.The effect of cooling rate on the apparent viscosity decreasesin high stirring rate range.The measured value of apparent viscosity is influenced bythe diameter of the screw propeller.

Microstructure and Wear Characteristics of Al-4.5Cu-5Pb Alloy

Al-4. 5Cu-5Pb alloy was prepared by sand and chill casting. The same alloy was also spray deposited at a gas pressure of 1.6 MPa. The microstructural features exhibit a coarse to fine dendritic morphology for sand and chill cast alloys. Equiaxed grains were observed for spray formed alloys. Wear testing employing a pin-on-disc type set-up, reveals considerably lower wear of spray deposited alloy compared to that of chill and sand cast alloys. The morphological features of wear track on specimen and debris indicated a mixed oxidative-cum-adhesive wear mechanisms for these alloys tested in the present investigation. (Edited author abstract) 36 Refs.

Corrosion resistance of micro-arc oxidized ceramic coating on cast hypereutectic alloy

The corrosion resistance of the micro-arc oxidation(MAO) ceramic coating on a cast Al-13Si-5Cu alloy was investigated using various electrochemical methods including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS) and polarization curves.Microstructures of MAO ceramic coating were studied by SEM,and the influence of microscopic patterns on corrosion resistance was analyzed.The corrosion resistance of the aluminum alloy can be improved significantly by MAO process owing to increasing impedance and corrosion potential and decreasing corrosion current,and the ceramic coatings are composed of loose layer,compact layer and transition layer,which improve the corrosion resistance.The corrosin resistance is determined by the thickness of the compact layer and is not proportional to the total thickness of MAO,though the latter is one of the important factors influencing the corrosin resistance.

Infuence of Liquid Film Characteristics on Hot Cracking Initiation in Al–Cu Alloys at the End of Solidifcation

In this study,Al–4Cu alloy specimens with spherical grains and liquid flms were obtained by isothermal reheating treatment.The hot cracking of the solidifcation process was determined using a modifed constrained rod casting experimental apparatus,and the efect of liquid flm characteristics at the end of solidifcation on hot cracking initiation of Al–4Cu alloys was systematically investigated by combining molecular dynamics simulations and other methods.With the extension of soaking time,the liquid fraction(liquid flm fraction at the end of solidifcation)and grain shape factor increased with higher isothermal reheating temperatures.Additionally,the widened flling channel decreased the hot cracking initiation temperature and the critical hot cracking shrinkage stress was found to increase,thus reducing the hot cracking severity in Al–4Cu alloys.Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that with the extension of soaking time,the composition of the liquid flm changed at diferent isothermal reheating temperatures,but the short-range structure and atomic ordering of the liquid flm remained the same.The activity of the liquid flm increased in equilibrium,leading to a decrease in viscosity and an increase in fuidity,which contributed to the flling behaviour.After isothermal reheating at 640℃for 60 min,the liquid fraction reached the maximum,and the viscosity of the liquid flm was the minimum.In addition,almost no hot cracks were found.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of aluminium metal matrix composites with addition of bamboo leaf ash by stir casting method

Al-4.5%Cu alloy was used as a matrix at2%,4%and6%of bamboo leaf ash(BLA)which was extruded from agro waste and was used as reinforcement.The composite which was fabricated by stir casting method possessed superior properties due to an effective bonding between matrix and reinforcement particles.The fabricated composite specimens were subjected to various tests to determine the mechanical properties such as density,porosity,hardness and tensile strength.The results were compared with basic matrix alloy.Furthermore,the OM,SEM with EDAX and XRD analyses were carried out to analyze the dispersion of the reinforced particles in the selected matrix alloy.It was observed that the homogeneous distribution of BLA particles in composites was intragranular in nature.Moreover,it was also observed that BLA particles were well bonded with matrix alloy with clear interface.It was also found that the density decreased with increase in mass fraction of BLA particles and porosity increased with increase in mass fraction of BLA particles.The hardness and tensile strength were increased up to4%of BLA in the composite,with a further increase in BLA content the hardness and tensile strength decreased.