Mechanical Properties of Stoichiometrically Developed Al-Cu-Mg Cast Alloy Under Controlled Environment

Abstract

Present study was carried out to investigate the mechanical properties of newly developed cast aluminum alloy with addition of (1.0 aged heat treatment, AHT %) of copper and (1.0 AHT %) magnesium in the mole ratio of 1:1:1 Al-Cu-Mg in as-cast and thermally aged conditions. The (AHT %) selection of Cu-Mg on the basis of stoichiometric calculations, 1 unit (AHT %) of copper and 1 unit (AHT %) of magnesium were mixed in liquid aluminium base material, heated in an electric furnace and melt was hold at 730 ºC with alloying additions of copper and magnesium for about 30 min to ensure complete homogenisation, Further, this liquidous aluminium metal matrix was stirred at 800 rpm for 5 min and poured at 700 ± 10 ºC in permanent mild steel mould pre-heated at 200 ºC in order to achieve as-cast alloy. Solution treatment at 500 ºC for 1 h and thermally aged at temperature 160 ºC for 5 h was exposed. The effect of solution and aged temperature on metallurgical morphology and further the role of intermetallic compounds on mechanical properties of as-cast alloy have been studied. The optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy were used to identify the intermetallic phases and formation of different precipitates was studied by using X-ray diffraction. The improvement in ultimate tensile strength and hardness values have been reported.