Eutectic Al-Si Research Articles

Corrosion evaluation of Al-Cu-Mn-Zr cast alloys in 3.5% NaCl solution

Corrosion behavior of cast Al-Cu-Mn-Zr (ACMZ) and RR350 alloys was compared to a cast 319 alloy in 3.5 wt.% NaCl. After 168 h immersion, ACMZ and RR350 alloys suffered from preferential attack adjacent to intermetallic particles decorated at grain boundaries while the attack in 319 occurred in eutectic Al-Si dendritic boundaries. Electrochemical data allowed semiquantitative comparison of alloy resistance to corrosion initiation, and ACMZ type alloys, including RR350 and three alloys with higher Cu, were considered more resistant than 319 due to the absence of deleterious Si particles. In case of 319, such Si particles presumably drove higher micro-galvanic influence to initiate and sustain Al corrosion. With lower susceptibility to corrosion initiation, ACMZ alloys should exhibit higher or at minimum similar resistance compared to cast 319.

Inhomogeneous Skin Formation and Its Effect on the Tensile Behavior of a High Pressure Die Cast Recycled Secondary AlSi10MnMg(Fe) Alloy

AbstractThe current study investigated the microstructure evolution, mechanical properties, and fracture behavior of a high pressure die cast (HPDC) novel secondary alloy. The as-cast microstructure comprised (i) Primary α-Al, (ii) α-Al15(FeMn)3Si2 intermetallics, and (iii) Al–Si eutectics. The microstructure starting from the surface through the depth of the HPDC casting consisted of (i) fine-grained skin at surface, (ii) increased Al–Si eutectics at intermediate location, and (iii) coarse α-Al dendrites at center. Accordingly, the hardness increased from skin to the intermediate section and then decreased toward the center of the casting. The formation of skin layer was highly discontinuous, which was attributed to the complicated fluid flow pattern inside the die cavity. The skin layer indicated to slightly improve the strength of the HPDC alloy; however, it restricted the ductility of the material with a large variation. Such ductility behavior resulted from a fracture mechanism triggered by the inhomogeneous skin because of its poor bonding with the adjacent matrix. Even though the secondary alloy contained casting defects and α-Al15(FeMn)3Si2 intermetallics that are known to be driving factors for the fracture in such materials, the effects from the inhomogeneous skin turned out to be predominant in the current study.

Investigation of self-diffusion and specific heat capacity of eutectic al-si systems using molecular dynamics simulations with ADP

Aluminum-silicon (Al-Si) alloys are of significant interest in various engineering applications due to their favorable mechanical properties and low density. Understanding the thermodynamic and transport properties of these alloys is essential for optimizing their performance in practical applications. In this study, an angular dependent potential (ADP) for Al-Si systems is employed to describe the atomic interactions and dynamics of an Al-Si alloy system. A set of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are performed to explore the diffusion behavior of the Al-Si alloy at different temperatures, with a specific focus on the eutectic composition of the Al-Si system. The mean squared displacement (MSD) method is applied to calculate its diffusion coefficients, enabling a detailed analysis of the system’s atomic mobility and transport characteristics. Furthermore, the specific heat capacity of the Al-Si system is determined through energy fluctuation analysis, providing insights into the system’s thermodynamic behavior. The obtained diffusion coefficients play a vital role in predicting the kinetics of the eutectic solidification of Al-Si alloys, while the specific heat capacity will facilitate the understanding of the thermal behavior and the energy changes associated with the eutectic reaction in such alloys.

INTERLAYER EFFECT ON DEFORMATION AND FRACTURE OF DENDRITIC STRUCTURE FORMED DURING WIRE-FEED ELECTRON-BEAM ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING OF AL-SI ALLOY

Interfaces and surfaces play an important role in tribology, mechanics and materials science, causing plastic strain localization and stress concentration of different spatial scales. The interfacial inhomogeneity is highly pronounced in 3D printed materials due to thermo-cycling and layer-by-layer building. In this paper, the inlayer and interlayer structure of a eutectic Al-Si alloy fabricated by wire-feed electron-beam additive manufacturing is investigated by optical and electron microscopy. Model structures inheriting the experimental morphology are created, and their deformation and fracture are simulated using ABACUS/Explicit, with the user-defined subroutines being developed to describe the constitutive behavior of aluminum dendrite, silicon and eutectic materials. A two-scale computational approach is implemented to study the influence of the interlayer formed in the heat-affected zone on the dendritic structure strength.

A novel process for producing Al-Si alloy utilizing aluminum-silicon oxide extracted from coal fly ash

As a kind of solid waste rich in aluminum and silicon resources, the comprehensive utilization of coal fly ash (CFA) will be of great significance to reduce environmental pollution and improve economic benefits. This work proposed a facile and environmentally friendly cleaning process for producing Al-Si alloy by molten salt electrolysis from CFA extract, aluminum-silicon oxide (ASO). The dissolution behavior and dissolution reaction mechanism of ASO were studied by high temperature visual dissolution experiment, thermodynamics analysis and phase analysis. Due to the chemical reaction between ASO and cryolite-based melt, ASO powder dissolves rapidly in melt and the dissolution rate of ASO is not determined by the phase compositions but by the mass ratio of Al2O3/SiO2. For replenishing the oxide concentration in the electrolyte as quick as possible, the proper mass ratio of Al2O3/SiO2 is in the range of 0.75–7.5. The electrochemical co-reduction behavior of Si (IV) and Al (III) ions on the W electrode was performed by cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry. The results indicated that the reduction of Si (IV) ion in the melt was a two-step irreversible process. Hypoeutectic Al-Si alloy and eutectic Al-Si alloy were prepared by galvanostatic electrolysis using ASO as raw material. This innovative technology can realize high-value recycling of CFA resources and low carbon emission, low energy consumption production of Al-Si alloy.

Experimental research and optimization based on response surface methodology on machining characteristics of cast Al-7Si-0.6 Mg alloy: Effects of cutting parameters and heat treatment

In this study, structural, mechanical and machining features of Al-7Si-0.6 Mg alloy manufactured by permanent mold casting (PMC) in both as-cast (AC) and T6 heat-treated (HT) conditions were investigated. Structural and mechanical properties were determined using conventional methods. Milling experiments were conducted with titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN) coated carbide end mills in CNC milling machine under conditions of three different cutting speeds (V: 50, 80 and 110 m/min), feed rate (f: 0.08; 0.16 and 0.24 mm/rev) and constant depth of cut (DoC) (1.5 mm). It was seen that structure of AC Al-7Si-0.6 Mg comprised of aluminum-rich α-Al, coral-like eutectic Al-Si, primary Si, Mg2Si, Fe-rich plate, acicular β-Fe (β-Al5FeSi) and script-like π-Fe (π-AlSiMgFe) intermetallic phases. Eutectic Al-Si, primary Si, β-Fe and π-Fe phases in the structure of the alloy in the HT condition were partially dissolved and turned into an agglomerated and spherical state. While the hardness (HB), yield (YS) and tensile strength (TS) of the alloy raised with HT, the elongation to fracture (EF) reduced. While cutting force (CF), surface roughness (SR), built-up layer (BUL) and built-up edge (BUE) decreased with increasing V, they increased with increasing f in the milling of both cast and HT alloys. Adhered layers and feed marks were consisted of the cutted surfaces of the alloys. While the most adhered layer was observed in AC alloys at a low V (50 m/min) and high f (0.24 mm/rev) combination, the least adhered layer formation was observed at the highest V and the lowest f value in HT alloys. Optimum parameters with Response Surface Methodology (RSM) were determined as V: 125 m/min and f: 0.04 mm/rev in AC and HT cases. The statistical significance of V and f on CF and SR was revealed by analysis of variance (ANOVA), while mathematical models were improved to predict CF and SR.

Effect of multi wall carbon nanotubes during semi-solid to solid phase transformation in eutectic Al-Si alloy

The study explores numerically the combined effect of the base metal pouring temperature and MWCNT (multi wall carbon nanotubes) during semi-solid to solid solidification of Al-Si-MWCNT composite material. The semi-solid to solid solidification actually differs significantly both qualitatively and quantitatively from the liquid to solid solidification. During solidification of Al-Si-MWCNT composite material, the melt temperature and the cooling rate play crucial roles in the phase transformations. During liquid to solid solidification, the MWCNT significantly affects the cooling rate, leading to multiple recalescence phenomena, and influences the formation and evolution of the columnar and globular grains. Under the same condition, the MWCNT also impacts the silicon segregation, causing fluctuations in the silicon phases and its redistribution. However, during the semi-solid to solid solidification, it is observed that by decreasing the melt temperature into a semi-solid state, the segregation rate of silicon decreases which enhances more homogeneous CNT distribution. It also increases the globular volume fraction and dominates the columnar growth. Overall, the future trend of semi-solid to solid solidification of Al-Si-MWCNT composite materials lies in optimizing their properties for specific applications, expanding their use across diverse industries, and promoting sustainable manufacturing practices.

Investigation of Modifying Alloying Elements in High-Pressure Injection Casting Eutectic Al-Si Alloys

In the study, the mechanical properties of aluminum alloys produced by the injection molding method, especially using Strontium and Titanium metals, were optimized without being subjected to cold forming. Mechanical tests were applied to the alloys produced by the high-pressure casting technique, and their strength, hardness, and microstructure were examined. Optical and SEM microscopy examinations investigated grain structures. Within the scope of the study, AlTi5B1 master alloy and AlSr10 master alloy were added to the pure AlSi10 (Fe) alloy in 5 different compositions. AlTi5B1 master alloy added to pure AlSi10(Fe) alloy significantly increased the hardness by reducing the grain size. Si modification took place with the addition of AlSr10 master alloy, and it was observed that the obtained weight ratios of 150ppm, 300ppm, and 450ppm Sr increased the hardness proportionally by 2.5 HB each. With the increase in Ti and Sr master alloys added, a significant increase was observed in tensile and yield strengths and % elongation rates. In the compression test, the percentage (%) deformation elongation, the reduction of the grain structure of the material by the added Ti and Sr elements, and the transformation of the eutectic silicon into a spherical structure absorbed the applied Fm force. This led to an increase in strength, and while the permanent deformation elongation decreased as the weight of Ti increased, it was observed that the permanent deformation elongation decreased proportionally with each added amount of 150 ppm Sr. The addition of the Ti element reduced the grain size by shrinking the α-Al dendrites, but it did not affect the eutectic Si.

Crystallography and Interface Structures in As-Arc Melted and Laser Surface-Remelted Aluminum–Silicon Alloys with and without Strontium Addition

The crystallography of the eutectic Al-Si microstructure in both unmodified and Sr (0.2 wt.%)-modified hypereutectic Al-20 wt.% Si alloys, processed via arc-melting and laser surface remelting, has been comprehensively characterized using transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction. Although, under as-cast conditions, specific orientations between different planes of Al and Si, satisfying defined orientation relationships (ORs), have been investigated within the flake morphology, the rapid solidification induced by laser surface remelting results in a notable transformation from a flake morphology to nanocrystalline Si fibers dispersed in an Al matrix. Consequently, this transformation results in a mis-orientation of the interface between the eutectic Al and Si phases, preventing the formation of orientation relationships, thus promoting the formation of faceted interfaces exhibiting substantial lattice disregistry.

Influence of Microstructural Characteristics on the Mechanical and Wear Behavior of Wire Arc Additive Manufactured and Cast Eutectic Al-Si Alloy

Influence of Microstructural Characteristics on the Mechanical and Wear Behavior of Wire Arc Additive Manufactured and Cast Eutectic Al-Si Alloy

Effect of Self-Inoculation Treatment on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Eutectic Al–Si Alloy

Effect of Self-Inoculation Treatment on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Eutectic Al–Si Alloy

Atomistic simulations of dislocation activity in Si nanofibers in Al-Si eutectics

Atomistic simulations were used to elucidate the mechanisms of localized plasticity and fracture in Si nanofibers embedded in Al matrix, with uniaxial tensile straining along the fiber axis. The Si nanofibers within the Al matrix exhibited large non-linear elastic strains followed by localized plasticity with the latter accounting for approximately 5 % permanent length increase in the fibers. On the other hand, simulations with aligned Si nanofibers in vacuum (no Al matrix) exhibited elastic deformation only followed by cleavage fracture. Localized plasticity in Si nanofibers is accomplished by gliding of “zonal” partial dislocations with Burgers vector b=aSi3〈112〉, which leads to synchronous shear of two shuffle-sets. Local stress concentration in Si nanofibers due to non-screw segments of dislocation loops around fibers triggers yielding in the nanofibers through the activation of dislocation sources at or near the interfaces but only below some critical fiber diameter, highlighting the role of nanoscale refinement in activating plasticity in embedded Si nanofibers in Al matrix. In addition, the kinetic barriers associated with the glide of edge/screw zonal dislocation in the perfect crystal and twinned crystal are computed using climbing-image nudge elastic band method. A higher mobility of the zonal dislocation in the twinned crystal suggests that twin boundaries can assist in dislocation glide parallel to the boundary. On the other hand, a nano-crack is nucleated at the interaction position of a glide partial dislocation with an intersecting growth twin boundary suggesting that intersecting twins serve to block glide and provide sites for crack nucleation.

Enabling plastic co-deformation of disparate phases in a laser rapid solidified Sr-modified Al–Si eutectic through partial-dislocation-mediated-plasticity in Si

Nano-scale eutectics, such as rapid solidified Al–Si, exhibit enhanced yield strength and strain hardening but plasticity is limited by cracking of the hard phase (Si). Mechanisms that may suppress cracking and enable plastic co-deformation of soft and hard phases are key to maximizing plasticity in these high-strength microstructures. Using a combination of laser rapid solidification and chemical (Sr) modification, we have synthesized fully eutectic Al–Si microstructures with heavily twinned Si nano-fibers that exhibit high hardness up to 2.9 GPa, and high compressive flow strength (∼840 MPa) with stable plastic flow to ∼26% plastic strain. After deformation, the hard Si(Sr) fibers did not exhibit cracks, but a high density of stacking faults were observed in the Si(Sr) fibers suggesting partial dislocation mediated plasticity. Mechanisms for suppression of cracking and activation of partial dislocations in Si deformed at room temperature are discussed in terms of nanoscale fiber geometry with reduced aspect ratio and lowering of the Peierls barrier in chemically-modified, nano-twinned Si fibers.

Effect of chemical composition and T6 heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of a hyper eutectic Al–Si alloy

The automotive and aircraft industries’ requirements have led to increasing application of Al–Si alloys thanks to their great potential as a replacement to cast iron and steel. The current work is an investigation of the effect of chemical composition and T6 heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a hyper eutectic Al–Si alloy. Secondary Al–Si alloy ingot was cast using the sand casting technique. Samples were prepared for microstructural examination and mechanical properties tests. One set of the samples was subjected to solution heat treatment at 530°C, quenched in water at room temperature and aged at 175°C for five hours. Microstructural examination of cast samples using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed three main phases in the alloy. Primary α–Al dendritic phase, eutectic Si phase and intermetallic phases of Fe and Mg. After heat treatment, the eutectic Si phase was spheroidized and uniformly distributed, the bonding strength of the α–Al dendritic phase and Si eutectic phase were well distributed, and the Fe and Mg phases precipitated. The ultimate tensile strength and hardness improved by 37.17% and 40.38% respectively. T6 heat treatment is therefore a necessary step in the production of parts made of Al–Si alloy by sand casting.

Effect of scandium on grain refinement mechanism and mechanical properties of Al–7Si–0.6 Mg alloy at different cooling rates

The effects of scandium (Sc) additions on the solidification microstructure and mechanical properties of Al–7Si–0.6Mg-0.25Ti alloy at different cooling rates have been systematically studied by thermal analysis and detailed SEM and TEM microstructure characterization of the castings. It is found that the addition of Sc has significant effects of refining the grain structure and modifying the Al–Si eutectics into fibrous structure. As a result, substantially improved strength and ductility in the as-cast state have been achieved in the Sc-added alloy. More importantly, the addition of Sc reduces the sensitivity of the alloy's strength and ductility to local cooling rates in the castings. The underlying mechanisms on the grain refinement, modification of Al–Si eutectics and strengthening by Sc addition have been studied. A new phase, DO22 structured (Al, Si)3(Ti, Sc), has been found to form in the liquid aluminium, acting as high potency nucleation sites of Al grains, which overcomes the Si poisoning effect on grain refinement for Al–Ti–B grain refiners.

Comparison of Solidification Microstructure Evolution of Al-10Si and Recycled Aluminium Beverage Can Strips Made in a Strip Caster

A strip caster was used to cast two types of aluminium alloys: an almost eutectic Al-Si alloy (Al 10 Si) with contaminants of 0.6 Fe, 0.2 Pb, and 1.4 Sn, which exhibits a polyphase microstructure upon solidification, and recycled aluminium beverage cans made from Al 0.8 Mn alloy containing 0.4 Si, 0.5 Fe, and 0.1 Mg, which has a monophase microstructure upon solidification. The molten materials were poured at 650 oC (Al 10 Si) and 670 oC (Al 0.8 Mn, 0.4 Si, 0.5 Fe, 0.1 Mg) on a cooling slope specially designed to obtain a semisolid material. This semisolid material was then dragged between rolls at a rate of 0.2 m/s to obtain high-quality metal strips. There was less eutectic modification with larger Al-α grains in the middle region of the sheet between the fine eutectic layers, indicating a lower cooling rate. However, during the recycling of aluminium beverage cans, large grains were formed with a columnar structure at the interface of the rolls, and semisolid melts with cracks were formed between the columnar grain boundaries owing to the compression of the rolls. The middle of these grains contained smaller equiaxial grains that were subjected to dragging. The as-cast specimens were submitted to homogenisation heat treatment at 560 oC for a period of 10 h and cooled to room temperature before being cold rolled (Temper H18) and recrystallised (Temper O) to examine the effect of these treatments on the tensile mechanical properties. During cold rolling (Temper H-18), grain alignment occurred with a yield stress, maximum stress, and elongation of 209.5 MPa, 210.1 MPa, and 2.8%, respectively. The strength decreased (yield stress of 58 MPa and maximum stress of 120.2 MPa) under recrystallisation conditions (Temper O), but the ductility increased (8.9%). This is in contrast to the Al-Si (Al 10Si) strip, which exhibited a yield stress, maximum stress, and elongation of 103.3 MPa, 128.7 MPa, and 1.9%, respectively. The A1 10Si strips also fractured during cold rolling, indicating high material fragility.

On the primary silicon precipitation during the eutectic solidification of Al–Si alloys

During the Al–Si eutectic alloy solidification, silicon distribution throughout the melt is not homogeneous which causes silicon segregation. A four phase Eulerian model of solidification is developed and invoked in Ansys Fluent simulation software to track the silicon segregation location and to understand the distribution of the segregating silicon in the Al–Si metal matrix. The recalescence phenomena are also observed during the solidification process. It is found that the silicon segregation is nearly 1.08 volume %, and the silicon is mostly found near the top surface of the simulation domain. It is also revealed through the numerical simulation that the columnar solid phase grains grow rapidly towards the center of the casting in the early stage of the solidification and the segregating silicon phase is generated near the columnar phase. However, the globular solid phases are also observed at the center of the simulation domain. The above numerical predictions are satisfactorily validated with the in-house experiment conducted using a specific alloy known as eutectic Al–Si (LM6).

Effect of Rubidium on Solidification Parameters, Structure and Operational Characteristics of Eutectic Al-Si Alloy

Modification of the eutectic silicon in Al–Si alloys causes a structural transformation of the silicon phase from a needle-like to a fine fibrous morphology and is carried out extensively in the industry to improve mechanical properties of the alloys. The theories and mechanisms explaining the eutectic modification in Al–Si alloys are considered. We discuss the mechanism of eutectic rubidium modification in the light of experimental data obtained via quantitative X-ray spectral microanalysis and thermal analysis. X-ray mapping revealed that rubidium, which theoretically satisfies the adsorption mechanisms of silicon modification, had an effect on the silicon growth during solidification. Rubidium was distributed relatively homogeneously in the silicon phase. Microstructural studies have shown that rubidium effectively refines eutectic silicon, changing its morphology. Modification with rubidium extends the solidification range due to a decrease in the solidus temperature. The highest level of mechanical properties of the alloy under study was obtained with rubidium content in the range of 0.007–0.01%. We concluded that rubidium may be used as a modifier in Al-Si eutectic and pre-eutectic alloys. The duration of the modifying effect of rubidium in the Al-12wt%Si alloy melt and porosity in the alloy modified with rubidium were evaluated.

Correlating microstructural features with improved wear and corrosion resistance of laser surface remelted A356 alloy at different scanning speeds

In this work, two scanning speeds (2 mm/s and 8 mm/s) were employed to remelt the surface of an A356 cast Al alloy by a pulsed laser at 300 W, with microstructural features of the laser-remelted surface layers well characterized and correlated with their wear/corrosion resistance. Through high-quality microstructure characterizations, it is found that the as-received A356 alloy is comprised of coarse α-Al dendrites and interdendritic AlSi eutectics. After laser surface remelting (LSR) at both speeds, microstructure homogeneity is greatly improved due to the remarkable refinement of the dendrites and interdendrites. Hardness and wear tests show that surface hardness and wear rate of the 2 mm/s specimen are 71.6 ± 0.6 HV and 1.1 × 10−3 mm3·N−1·m−1, while those of the 8 mm/s specimen are 67.2 ± 1.1 HV and 1.7 × 10−3 mm3·N−1·m−1, respectively, markedly improved compared to the substrate (55.3 ± 0.5 HV and 2.8 × 10−3 mm3·N−1·m−1). Electrochemical test results reveal that self-corrosion potential (Ecorr) and current (Icorr) of the 2 mm/s specimen are −0.82 V and 9.5 × 10−7 μA, while those of the 8 mm/s specimen are −0.89 V and 1.8 × 10−6 μA, respectively. After comparing with the substrate (−0.95 V and 4.3 × 10−6 μA), the corrosion resistance of both the LSRed specimens is confirmed to be significantly enhanced. Comprehensive analyses reveal that after the LSR the simultaneously increased wear/corrosion resistance can be related to the largely homogenized microstructure, the enhanced supersaturation of Si in α-Al, and the refinement and redistribution of AlSi eutectics in the remelted layer.

Comparison of Machinability Performances in Milling of Al-7Si-Mg and Al-7Si-0.6Mg Alloys

In this study, the microstructural, mechanical and machinability properties of Al-7Si-Mg and Al-7Si-0.6Mg casting alloys were experimentally researched. While the microstructures of the alloys were determined by optical microscope, the hardness values were determined by Brinell method, elongation to fracture, yield (YS) and tensile strength (TS) values were measured by tensile tests. Milling experiments were performed 6 mm diameter of uncoated carbide end mill which two flutes in CNC vertical machining center using different cutting speeds (V), feed rates (f) and a constant depth of cut (DoC). In microstructural examinations, it was observed that the microstructure of the Al-7Si-Mg alloy comprised of a-Al, primary Si, eutectic Al-Si, Mg2Si, B-Al(Fe, Mn)Si, β-Al5FeSi and π-AlSiMgFe phases. In addition to the existing phases, B-Al8Mg3FeSi6 phase was formed in the microstructure of the Al-7Si-0.6Mg alloy. Al-7Si-0.6Mg alloy exhibited higher hardness, YS and TS and lower elongation to fracture (EF) values compared to Al7Si-Mg alloy. In the milling tests, it was stated that the cutting force (CF), built-up layer (BUL) and builtup edge (BUE) reduced with the increment of the V, while it increased with the increment of the