Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure, Hardness and Wear of Aluminum Alloy 332

Abstract:

This paper describes a study on the effects of heat treatment on the microstructure, hardness and wear of aluminum alloys 332 (AlSi₉Cu₃Mg). The solution treatment was performed at 500°C for 5 hours and then quenched in water at room temperature. Aging was performed at 170°C for 2 hours. The findings revealed that after a full heat treatment, the structure of the eutectic silicon formed toward fragmentation and spheroidization, and the silicon particles became coarse (look-like rounded). Hard intermetallic compound (Mg₂Si) appeared on the microstructure after the aging treatment completed. Compared to the as-cast, the hardness of the alloys has improved to 44.84%, and the wear rate of the solution treatment had decreased to 26% while the aging treatment showed a deterioration of 79.42%. The study concludes that aging treatment improves the hardness of AA332 alloys and enhanced the wear resistance of the substance.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 786)
• Pages: 18-22
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.786.18
• Online since: August 2015
• Authors: Fizam Zainon*, Khairel Rafezi Ahmad, Ruslizam Daud
• Keywords: Aluminum Alloy 332, Hardness, Heat Treatment, Microstructure, Wear

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