Papers by Author: Maya Gershenzon

Abstract: This paper reports on the results of the castability of three MRI alloys (153A, 153M and 230D). MRI153A was found to cast best, with castings produced rated with a quality approaching AZ91. MRI230D produced the next best castings, whilst MRI153M showed the worst castability across a range of conditions. However, these alloys showed a tendency to build-up oxide in the melt transfer tube leading to melt transfer problems. This was particularly severe in MRI230D.

Abstract: Recently, heat treatment technologies have been developed by the CSIRO Light Metals Flagship in Australia that allow the 0.2% proof stress of conventional aluminum alloy high pressure diecastings (HPDC’s) to be more than doubled without encountering problems with blistering or dimensional instability [1,2]. A range of other properties may also be improved such as fatigue resistance, thermal conductivity and fracture resistance. However, the current commercial HPDC Al-Si-Cu alloys have not been developed to exploit heat treatment or to optimize these specific mechanical properties, and one potential limitation of heat treating HPDC’s is that fracture resistance may be reduced as strength is increased. The current paper presents the outcomes of a program aimed at developing highly castable, secondary Al-Si-Cu HPDC alloys which display significantly enhanced ductility and fracture resistance in both the as-cast and heat treated conditions. Kahn-type tear tests were conducted to compare the fracture resistance of the conventional A380 alloy with a selection of the newly developed compositions. A comparison has also been made with the current permanent mold cast aluminium alloys and it is shown that the new HPDC compositions typically display higher levels of both tensile properties and fracture resistance.

Abstract: Recently, heat treatment technologies have been developed by the CSIRO Light Metals Flagship in Australia that allow the yield stress in conventional aluminium HPDC’s to be more than doubled without encountering problems with blistering or dimensional instability. These procedures involve a severely truncated solution treatment step conducted at lower than normal temperatures followed by quenching and artificial ageing. Typically, heat treated HPDC’s may display increases to the yield stress of around 80 to 100%, but a range of other properties may also be improved such as fatigue resistance, thermal conductivity and fracture resistance for some tempers. However, the HPDC alloys currently used worldwide have not been developed specifically for heat treatment or the optimization of specific properties. In particular, recent work in Al-Si-Cu HPDC alloys has identified ranges of alloys specifically for achieving yield strengths exceeding 400 MPa, or for high strength combined with elevated ductility levels. The role of alloying elements, composition limits and effects on microstructure development are discussed.