Papers by Keyword: Aluminium Silicon Alloy

Abstract: A physical modification method with the application of intensive melt shearing during solidification was used to treat a hypereutectic aluminium silicon alloy. The effect of intensive melt shearing on the microstructure of the alloy was studied. Experimental results showed that intensive melt shearing can significantly refine the primary silicon particles, and treatment temperature plays a very important role in the refinement. The optimum condition for refining primary silicon particles of Al-20wt%Si alloy is treating at 660 °C.

Abstract: Al-Si-Fe plates with Si contents of 4.5, 9 and 11 mass %, unmodified and Sr-modified, were quasi-directionally solidified in sand moulds with chills at one end. The size and nature of the Fe-rich intermetallics were determined along the plates. Two forms of the intermetallic were observed, α-Al₈FeSi and β-Al₅FeSi, in proportions and scale dependent on the cooling rate and the Si concentration. The size of the β-phase increased with the concentration of Si at low cooling rates. At high cooling rates the tendency to form α-Al₈FeSi phase increased with increasing Si content reducing the size of the β-plates. Modification generally increased the size of the pre-eutectically formed plates while reducing the post eutectically formed ones.

Abstract: The distribution of Rare Earth element on the cast of A356 and the effect of the first α phase by the Rare Earth element asymmetric distribution has been discussed in the paper. It is showed by the research, that the condition of interphase is changed by Rare Earth element asymmetry distribution, which influences the process ofαphase growing and facilitates the growth of α phase in sphere, and leads to a optimal Rare Earth quantity for facilitative effect, which is 0.5% in this experimentation, and that αphase grain will be change to small by adding Rare Earth.

Abstract: To evaluate the cutting performance of CVD diamond coated silicon nitride insert, two kinds of CVD diamond films, namely microcrystalline diamond (MCD) and composite diamond films, are deposited on silicon nitride (Si3N4) inserts using the hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) method. The characterization of as-deposited diamond films is conducted using the scanning electron microscope (SEM), optical interferometric profiler, X –ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectrum. The turning tests for as-fabricated MCD and composite diamond coated insert, as well as uncoated silicon nitride insert, are performed in dry turning aluminum silicon alloy, where the cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut are fixed as ν = 2000 r/min, f=0.1 mm/r and ap=1 mm. The results demonstrate that the main tool failure is the tool wear. As compared with the uncoated silicon nitride insert, the woking life time of the diamond coated insert can be increased by a factor of above 7.

Abstract: The semisolid processing technology is not widely used due to the high cost of raw material and the equipment it requires. New low-cost raw materials and processes could be the key to expand the use of this technology. This paper describes an initial effort to develop new Al-Si-Mg in terms of raw material production and processing. The morphological evolution of all the alloys produced was characterized during their reheating to the semisolid state at 45 and 60% solid fraction, as well as the semisolid behaviour in terms of viscosity versus shear rate. The adaptation of the semisolid technology to the thixoforming process via eccentric press was tested using an equipment up to 25 tons. This type of equipment is not commonly employed in this kind of processing. Results indicate that alloys with low silicon content, e.g., 2 or 4wt%Si, behave similarly to alloys with 7wt%Si, which are normally used in the thixoforming process, with a viscosity of about 2 * 105 Pa.s. The semisolid behaviour of low silicon alloys indicates the potential expansion of the range of raw materials for this application. Thixoforming of semisolid materials in an eccentric press appears to be a very promising technology, yielding parts that, despite their simplicity and restricted shape, display a very good final mechanical behaviour.

Abstract: The effect of reheating to the semisolid state (soaking treatment) on the microstructure evolution of the A356 aluminum alloy prepared by ultrasonic melt treatment was studied in this paper. The results showed that in general the longer the soaking process the larger and the more round the grains obtained. Higher roundness occurs at shorter soaking times in the fine-grained ascast samples, and at longer times in the inhomogeneous or the coarser-grained as-cast structures. The optimum thixotropic condition (high roundness, 0.72, and small globule sizes < 90 μm) are achieved after 5 min. soaking in the samples treated by UST at 623 and 620oC, which is the typical soaking time dictated by the industrial practice in SSM. The amount of entrapped eutectic as observed after soaking treatments is uniquely very small, suggesting that the UST-treated ingots will have better formability in the semisolid state. The growth rate constants are substantially low: in the order of 479-748 μm3/s. These growth rate constants are much lower than those reported for MHDcast A356 ingots. The growth rates of the samples produced by UST in the liquid state (i.e., 626, 623 and 620oC. Note that liquidus temperature is 619oC) are lower than those of the samples treated in the semi-solid temperatures, i.e., 617 and 614oC. The Ostwald ripening is most likely the dominant growth mechanism in the UST-treated samples during the soaking treatments. These results reveal the feasibility and competence of UST as a potential route for thixotropic feedstock production.

Abstract: An advanced rheo-diecasting technique, based on a modified multi-electromagnetic stirring continuous preparation (MSCP) process was developed for manufacturing near-net shape Al-alloys components with high integrity. The modified MSCP process innovatively combines noncontact electromagnetic stirring and an annular chamber with specially designed profiles to in situ make high quality semisolid slurry, and intensive forced shearing and self-wiping action can be achieved under high shear rate and high intensity of turbulence inside the annular chamber. Three Al-Si alloys with hypoeutectic, eutectic and hypereutectic compositions were tested in this study. The results indicate that, compared with those produced by conventional high-pressure diecasting (HPDC) process, rheo-diecasting samples based on the modified MSCP process have finer and more uniform microstructure.

Abstract: Laser materials processing has been widely applied in industrial processes due to unique precision and very localized thermal action furnished by the laser’s high energy density and power controllability. With the inherent rapid heating and cooling rates to which this surface layer is subjected, this process provides an opportunity to produce different microstructures from that of the bulk metal leading to useful properties. The aim of this work is to develop a heat transfer mathematical model based on the finite difference method in order to simulate temperature fields in the laser surface remelting process. Convective heat transfer in the remelted pool is taken into account by using the effective thermal conductivity approach. Theoretical predictions furnished by previous models from the literature were used for validation of numerical simulations performed with the proposed model. Experiments of laser surface remelting of Al-9 wt pct Si samples was carried out in the present investigation, and numerical simulations was applied for the laser machine operating parameters. The work also encompasses the analysis of microstructural and microhardness variations throughout the resulting treated and unmolten zones.

Abstract: The temperature at specific positions was measured by multi-channel data acquisition system in order to understand the solidification and feeding process of the sample. The Olympus metallurgical microscope was used to observe the macrostructure of the casting and analyze the freezing mechanism. The mold filling and solidification processes of the Al-alloy sample were studied by using the commercialized simulation software Z-Cast. And the simulated result was compared with the results of practical pouring test. When preheat temperature of mold is low, the pouring temperature should be higher in order to ensure completely filling of mold. As a result the solidification of sample could be feeding effectively, and the shrinkage on the upper end of sample could be eliminated. It is shown that the casting simulation software Z-CAST can be used to simulate the filling and solidification process of gravity cast Al alloy and can provide exact flow fields and temperature fields thus can predict cast defects and their positions.

Abstract: For the purpose of the prediction of casting structures, heterogeneous nucleation rate in the undercooled melt of solififying Al-Si alloys were evaluated by comparing experimentally observed macrostructures of solidified ingots with numerically simulated ones. Molten alloys were unidirectionally solidified in an adiabatic mold from a steel chill block located at the bottom of the mold. In the experiment, columnar to equiaxed transition (CET) was observed. A numerical simulation for grain structure formation of the sample ingots was carried out using a cellular automaton (CA) method, and heterogeneous nucleation rate in the solidifying alloys were evaluated by producing the similar structures to experimental ones. An attempt was made to predict the grain structure of conventionally cast ingots using the evaluated heterogeneous nucleation rate. However, the simulation could not predict the structure of ingot with low superheat due to crystal multiplication near the mold wall. The crystal multiplication mechanism, so-called "Big Bang mechanism", was introduced into the simulation and the simulation could predict the grain macrostructure composed of columnar and equiaxed crystals that were similar to experimentally observed one.