Abstract
Recent environmental restrictions constrained car manufacturers to promote cast aluminum alloys working at high temperatures (180 °C–300 °C). The development of new alloys permits the fabrication of higher-strength components in engine downsizing. Those technologies increase internal loadings and specific power and stretch current materials to their limits. Transition metals in aluminum alloys are good candidates to improve physical, mechanical, and thermodynamic properties with the aim of increasing service life of parts. This study is focused on the modified AlSi7Cu3.5Mg0.15 alloy where Mn, Zr, and V have been added as alloying elements for high-temperature applications. The characterization of the cast alloy in this study helps to evaluate and understand its performance according to their physical state: As-cast, as-quenched, or artificially aged. The precipitation kinetics of the AlSi7Cu3.5Mg0.15 (Mn, Zr, V) alloy has been characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations, and micro-hardness testing. The Kissinger analysis was applied to extract activation energies from non-isothermal DSC runs conducted at different stationary heating rates. Finally, first-order evaluations of the interfacial mobility of precipitates were obtained.
Highlights
Due to poor mechanical properties and high malleability of pure aluminum, alloying elements are added before casting to improve physical and mechanical properties [1]; such as Si for casting properties, Mg, and Cu to generate precipitation hardening systems
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The best mechanical properties are associated with the formation of precipitates through an optimum heat treatment sequence, generally including: Solutionizing, water quenching, and artificial aging [3]
Summary
Due to poor mechanical properties and high malleability of pure aluminum, alloying elements are added before casting to improve physical and mechanical properties [1]; such as Si for casting properties (castability, cold crack capability, wear resistance, shrinkage behavior), Mg, and Cu to generate precipitation hardening systems. The best mechanical properties are associated with the formation of precipitates through an optimum heat treatment sequence, generally including: Solutionizing, water quenching, and artificial aging [3]. During this sequence, the resulting decomposition of the supersaturated solid solution produces a size distribution of precipitates, which directly affects the final mechanical properties. Heat treatment (HT) corresponds to the last metallurgical step of the overall manufacturing process. Understanding and characterizing the effect of the quenching rate and other HT parameters are necessary to limit for instance the impact of residual stresses while maintaining the hardening potential
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