Effects of nanoparticles on the solution treatment and mechanical properties of nano-SiCp/Al-Cu composites

Abstract

In this study, through the comparison of the microstructure evolution between composites and matrix alloy, the effects of nano-sized SiC particles (i.e. nano-SiC p ) on solution behavior and properties of 1 wt.% nano-SiC p /Al-Cu composites were investigated for the first time. Results indicate that different from the traditional solution treatment process of Al-Cu matrix alloy, due to the hindering effect of nano-SiC p on the solution behavior of Al 2 Cu phase, the composites need higher solution temperature to show better mechanical properties. The T6 treated composites exhibit excellent hardness and tensile properties after solution treatment at 540 °C for 10 h. Its hardness, ultimate tensile strength and yield strength are 150 HV, 500 MPa and 350 MPa, which are increased by 120 %, 82 % and 106 % than that of the as-cast composites respectively. Compared with the T6 treated Al-Cu matrix alloy, the UTS and YS of nano-SiC p /Al-Cu composites are elevated by 16.3 % and 34.6 %, respectively.