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Microstructure Evaluation and Mechanical Properties of Thixoformed Ai–5.7Si–2Cu–0.3Mg Aluminum Alloys

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Abstract

Al–5.7Si–2Cu–0.3Mg alloy was subjected to a thixoforming process. The impact behaviour of the thixoforming process on microstructure characterisation and mechanical properties was investigated. A cooling slope (CS) technique was applied here to get thixoforming feedstock material at three different pouring temperatures of 640 °C, 650 °C and 660 °C, plate lengths 300 mm, 400 mm and 500 mm and constant CS angle 60°. Some samples of thixoformed were treated using T6 heat treatment. These samples were characterised via optical microscopy, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectrometer and X-ray diffraction investigations, tensile and hardness tests. Consequently, the optimum conditions of CS casting process were 650 °C pouring temperature and 400mm plate length. The thixoformed alloys observed fine globular α-Al phase microstructure surrounded by uniformly distributed Si particle, minimum of porosity and refined fragmented intermetallic phase. The hardness of the thixoformed-T6 sample was roughly twice as much as-cast sample. The tensile and yield strength of thixoformed-T6 samples were enhanced by 45% and 39%, respectively, compared to as-cast samples. The thixoformed-T6 samples observed the highest value of tensile elongation to fracture of 4.8 ± 0.4%. The tensile fractures surface of thixoformed-T6 samples exhibited decline in each of tensile strength and ductility, due to occurrence of Fe-rich intermetallic on the samples.

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All data included in this manuscript are available upon request by contact with the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and the authors gratefully acknowledge Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), Malaysia, for the financial support under research grant DIP/2016/007.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Omar Al-Mukhtar University, Bayda, Libya

    M. A. Abdelgnei

  2. Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

    M. Z. Omar & M. J. Ghazali

  3. Department of Engineering and Technology, Faculty of Information Sciences and Engineering, Management and Science University, 40100, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

    M. N. Mohammed

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  1. M. A. Abdelgnei
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  3. M. J. Ghazali
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Contributions

In this work, MAA, MZO, MJG conceived and designed the experiment; MZO provided the materials; MAA, MNM and MJG conducted the microstructure characterisation and mechanical properties test; MA Abdelgnei and MZO wrote the paper.

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Correspondence to M. A. Abdelgnei.

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Abdelgnei, M.A., Omar, M.Z., Ghazali, M.J. et al. Microstructure Evaluation and Mechanical Properties of Thixoformed Ai–5.7Si–2Cu–0.3Mg Aluminum Alloys. Inter Metalcast 16, 370–384 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-021-00610-x

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