Genetic Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of High-Siliconaluminum Alloy by Rapid Solidification and Spark Plasma Sintering

Abstract

High-silicon aluminum alloys as light-weight structural materials are attractive because of their high wear resistance, low density and low thermal expansion. However, the Si phase in the high-silicon aluminum alloys always has big size, which deteriorates the mechanical properties and machinability of alloys. In this paper, alloy ribbon of high-silicon aluminum alloy with the composition of Al70Si30 was prepared by melt-spinning method. Then alloy ribbon was broken to powder by ball milling. The alloy powers were consolidated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) at different sintering parameters including time and temperature under vacuum atmosphere. The density, hardness and compression property of the compacts were investigated. The sintered samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and compared with their alloy power and original alloy ribbons. The results showed that the density of Al70Si30 alloy, prepared under the condition of 320 °C and 500 MPa, was above 98%, the grain size was refined to sub-micron, and the wear resistance was good, micro-hardness was 311.70 Hv. It is believed that the existence of local high temperature and discharge plasma can break down and disrupt oxidation film on powder surface, and therefore improving the efficiency of sintering. In the case of large current, short time and low temperature, sintering grain growth was not obvious, there was less supersaturated solid solution precipitation and the rapid solidification microstructure , and the properties can be preferably reserved.