Effects of Process Parameters on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Semi-Solid Al-7Si-0.5Mg Aluminum Alloy by Gas Induced Semi-Solid Process

Abstract

Al-7Si-0.5Mg aluminum alloy semi-solid slurry with good spherical grains was prepared by gas induced semi-solid process (GISS) and the effects of both holding time and medium alloy addition on the microstructure of the semi-solid slurry were investigated. These two parameters have a great influence on the solid fraction, the size and the sphericity of the grains. With holding time increased from 85 s to 270 s, the solid phase fraction of the semi-solid slurry decreased from ~0.77 to ~0.67, the average grain size increased from ~95 μm to ~225 μm and the average shape factor decreased from ~0.80 to ~0.33. When medium alloy addition varied in the range of 0.5–2.0 wt%, a better slurry microstructure was obtained at about 1.5 wt%. Compared with the conventional liquid die-casting, the semi-solid die-casting improved the mechanical properties of tensile bars; yield strength, tensile strength and elongation of tensile bars reached ~240 MPa, ~307 MPa and ~8.8% after heat treatment, respectively. In conclusion, GISS process can prepare the semi-solid slurry with uniform and round microstructure, and the semi-solid die-casting can improve mechanical properties of Al-7Si-0.5Mg aluminum alloy.