In situ-formed, low-cost, Al-Si nanocomposite materials
Journal Title: Journal of Achievements in Materials and Manufacturing Engineering - Year 2017, Vol 1, Issue 84
Abstract
Aluminum-Silicon (Al-Si) alloys are the “bread-and-butter” of the aluminum foundry industry being cast at an annual rate of over 2 million tonnes/year in North America for use mainly in transportation. Coarse microstructure of these alloys limits their specific mechanical properties and consequently their potential for vehicle lightweighting. Purpose: We report on a new family of cast Al-Si alloys producing in-situ formed nanocomposites of up to 25 vol.% ultrafine equiaxed silicon particles in Al alloy matrix which can be ductile, or reinforced by nano-scale spinodal constituents. Design/methodology/approach: The hypereutectic Al-Si-X alloy (A390) was melted, solidified and cooled on the novel High Pressure Die Casting Universal Metallurgical Simulator and Analyser Technology Platform (HPDC UMSA) at specific process parameters. The HPDC cast samples consecutively were solution treated and artificially aged to spheroidize the Si and to dissolve the intermetallics in Al(SS) and to re-precipitate them in the solid state as nano-sized spinodal structures. The heat treatment was performed using the High Temperature UMSA Technology Platform. Findings: The nano scale structure of these new materials gives them significantly improved strength, hardness, and wear resistance while retaining adequate toughness and ductility for applications in the transportation applications. Research limitations/implications: Desired composite nanostructures have been produced and characterized in-situ in small laboratory test samples. Practical implications: These new materials can be produced by conventional casting technologies such as continuous strip casting, or high-pressure die-casting from conventional low-cost Al-Si melts. Originality/value: These materials can be produced with a significantly higher volume fraction of ultrafine Si dispersoids than has been done to date in in-situ formed materials, while retaining and improving the density-specific mechanical properties.
Authors and Affiliations
P. Guba, A. J. Gesing, J. Sokolowski, A. Conle, S. K. Das
Keywords
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