Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Hypereutectic Al-Si Alloy with 2% Fe Prepared by Semi-Solid Process

Abstract

The microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-17Si-2Fe-2Cu-1Ni (mass fraction, %) alloys with 0.4% or 0.8% Mn produced by semi-solid casting process were studied. The semi-solid slurry of the alloys was prepared by ultrasonic vibration (USV) process. With USV process, the average grain size of primary Si in the alloys could be refined to 21~24μm, whether with or without P modification. The P addition has no further refinement effect on the primary Si in the case of the combined use of USV with P addition. Without USV, the alloys contain a large amount of long needle-like β-Al5(Fe,Mn)Si phase and plate-like δ-Al4(Fe,Mn)Si2 phase. Besides, the alloy with 0.8% Mn contains a small amount of coarse dendritic α-Al15(Fe,Mn)3Si2 phase. With USV treatment and semi-solid casting process, the Fe-containing compounds in the alloys are refined and exist mainly as δ-Al4(Fe,Mn)Si2 particles with average grain size of about 18μm, and only a small amount of β-Al5(Fe,Mn)Si phase is remained. With USV treatment and without P modification, the ultimate tensile strengths (UTS) of the alloys containing 0.4% and 0.8%Mn produced by semi-solid process are 260MPa and 270MPa respectively at room temperature, and the UTS are 127MPa and 132MPa at 350°C.