A basic study on artificial aging in Mg-10Al12Si+1Pb alloy

Abstract

In this study, research has been made on the aging of metal matrix composite materials produced by the in situ casting system. Mg matrix composite material was produced by the in situ casting system. In this study, 90%Mg + 10% Al12Si (wt) ingot casting was performed for alloy formation and 1% Pb was added as an alloying element to the melted structure. This study aims to examine the effect of the artificial aging (AA) process on hardness and microstructure after alloying and composite of Mg metal. The in situ casting system was used in the casting of Mg alloy under the Ar gas atmosphere. The material after required casting homogenization process; for the AA process, they were embedded in a powder graphite filled vessel and kept at 350 °C for 1 h and then quenched (with 25 °C water). Later; after quenching, the materials were kept at 150 °C for 2, 4, 12, 16 and 24 h and aged samples were obtained. Microstructure images were obtained from the samples by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and light optical microscope (LOM) and then the hardness values of the micro hardness device were measured. Grain structure because of AA heat treatment; showed changes according to un-aging material. The hardness value is directly proportional to the increasing aging time of the materials applied to the AA process; it was found that the levels increased approximately to 45% (86HV to 125HV) compared to the un-aging material and passed to the fixing phase.