Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Electromagnetic Duo-Cast Al Hybrid Material

Abstract

This investigates the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al hybrid material prepared by electromagnetic duo-casting to determine the effect of heat treatment. The hybrid material is composed of an Al-Mg-Si alloy, pure Al and the interface between the Al-Mg-Si alloy and pure Al. It is heat-treated at 373, 573 and 773K for 1h and T6 treated (solution treatment at 773K for 1h and aging at 433K for 5h). As the temperature increases, the grain size of the Al-Mg-Si alloy in the hybrid material increases. The grain size of the T6 treated Al-Mg-Si alloy is similar to that of one heat-treated at 773K for 1h. The interface region where the micro-hardness becomes large from the pure Al to the Al-Mg-Si alloy widens with an increasing heat temperature. The hybrid material with a macro-interface parallel to the tensile direction experiences increased tensile strength, 0.2% proof stress and the decreased elongation after T6 heat treatment. On the other hand, in the vertical direction to the tensile direction, there is no great difference with heat treatment. The bending strength of the hybrid material with a long macro-interface to the bending direction is higher than that with a short macro-interface, which is improved by heat treatment. The hybrid material with a long macro-interface to the bending direction is fractured by cracking through the eutectic structure in the Al-Mg-Si alloy. However, in the hybrid material with a short macro-interface, the bending deformation is observed only in the limited pure Al.