Investigating the microstructure and strength properties of 500 series aluminum casting alloy modified with rare earth element erbium

Document Type : Original Articles

Author

• Mohammad Alipour

Faculty of Mechanical engineering, Department of Materials Engineering, University of Tabriz, Iran

10.22067/jmme.2023.81595.1106

Abstract

The effects of rare earth Er additions on the microstructure and tensile properties of cast Al–3Mg–2.5Cu aluminum alloy have been investigated. The results show that by adding 1 wt.% Er grain refiner in the aluminum cast alloy, the grains can be refined to a fine degree. The microstructures and fracture surfaces of cast aluminum alloy samples were examined by scaning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, the rare earth Er modified the eutectic structure from a coarse plate-like and acicular structure to a fine branched and fibrous one. The tensile properties were improved by the addition of rare earth Er, and good ultimate tensile strength (310 MPa) was obtained when the rare earth Er addition was 1 wt.%. Furthermore, fractographic examinations revealed that refined pore and spheroidized α-Al dendrite were responsible for the high ultimate tensile strength. Adding of 1 wt.% rare earth Er make about 38% enhancement in tensile strength compared to that of unreinforced aluminum alloy.

Keywords

• Rare earth materials
• Mechanical Properties
• Microstructure

Main Subjects

• Casting and Solidification

---

References

[1] J. Hirsch, Aluminium in innovative light-weight car design, Mater. Trans. Vol. 52, pp. 818-824, (2011).

[2] T. Dursun, C. Soutis, Recent developments in advanced aircraft aluminium alloys, Mater. Des. Vol. 56, pp. 862-871, (2014).

[3] A. Haghparast, M. Nourimotlagh, M. Alipour, Effect of the strain-induced melt activation (SIMA) process on the tensile properties of a new developed super high strength aluminum alloy modified by Al-5Ti-1B grain refiner, Mater. Charac. Vol. 71, pp. 6-18, (2012).

[4] M. Alipour, M. Emamy, Effects of Al–5Ti–1B on the structure and hardness of a super high strength aluminum alloy produced by strain-induced melt activation process, Mater. Des. Vol. 32, pp. 4485-4492, (2011).

[5] M. Alipour, M. Emamy,  R. E. Farsani, M. H. Siadati,  H. Khorsand, Effects of a modified SIMA process on the structure, hardness and mechanical properties of Al-12Zn-3Mg-2.5Cu alloy, Iranian Journal of Materials Science and Engineering. Vol.  12, pp. 77-88, (2015).

[6] M. Alipour, B.G. Aghdam, H.E. Rahnoma, M. Emamy, Investigation of the effect of Al–5Ti–1B grain refiner on dry sliding wear behavior of an Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy formed by strain-induced melt activation process, Mater. Des. Vol. 46, pp. 766-775, (2013).

[7] M. Alipour, M. Emamy, S.H.S. Ebrahimi, M. Azarbarmas, M. Karamouz, J. Rassizadehghani, Effects of pre-deformation and heat treatment conditions in the SIMA process on properties of an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy modified by Al-8B grain refiner, Materials Science and Engineering A. Vol. 528, pp. 4482-4490, (2011).

[8] M. Alipour, M. Emamy, M. Azarbarmas, M. karamouz, Effects of Al-5Ti-1B master alloy on the microstructural evaluation of a highly alloyed aluminum alloy produced by SIMA process, AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1252, pp. 1060-1072, (2010).

[9] M. Alipour, M. Emamy, J. Rasizadeh, M. Karamouz, M. Azarbarmas, Effects of Al-8B grain refiner on the structure, hardness and tensile properties of a new developed super high strength aluminum alloy, TMS Annual Meeting,  Vol. 2, pp. 309-320, (2011).

[10] G.S. Pradeep Kumar, P.G. Koppad, R. Keshavamurthy, M. Alipour, Microstructure and mechanical behaviour of in situ fabricated AA6061–TiC metal matrix composites, Archives of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Vol. 17,
pp. 535-544, (2017).

[11] M. Alipour, M. Emamy, J. Rasizadeh, M. Karamouz, M. Azarbarmas, Effects of Al-5Ti-1B grain refiner on the structure, hardness and tensile properties of a new developed super high strength aluminum alloy, TMS Annual Meeting, Vol. 3, pp. 833-842, (2011).

[12] M. Alipour, M. Azarbarmas, F. Heydari, M. Hoghoughi, M. Alidoost, M. Emamy, The effect of Al-8B grain refiner and heat treatment conditions on the microstructure, mechanical properties and dry sliding wear behavior of an Al-12Zn-3Mg-2.5Cu aluminum alloy” Materials and Design, Vol. 38, pp. 64-73, (2012).

[13] S.S. Mirjavadi, M. Alipour, A.M.S. Hamouda, M.K. Besharati Givi, M. Emamy,” Investigation of the effect of Al-8B master alloy and strain-induced melt activation process on dry sliding wear behavior of an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy” Materials and Design, Vol. 53, pp. 308-316, (2014).

[14] B.M. Afshari, , S.S. Mirjavadi, Y.A. Dolatabad, M. Aghajani, M.K.B. Givi, M. Alipour, M. Emamy, "Effects of pre-deformation on microstructure and tensile properties of Al—Zn—Mg—Cu alloy produced by modified strain induced melt activation", Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China (English Edition), Vol. 26, pp. 2283-2295, (2016).

[15] M. Alipour, S.S. Mirjavadi, M.K. Besharati Givi, H. Razmi, M. Emamy, J. Rassizadehghani, "Effects of Al-5Ti-1B master alloy and heat treatment on the microstructure and dry sliding wear behavior of an Al-12Zn-3Mg-2.5Cu alloy", Iranian Journal of Materials Science and Engineering, Vol. 9, pp. 8-16, (2012).

[16] M. Alipour, M. Emamy, J. Rasizadeh, M. Azarbarmas, M. Karamouz, "Effect of predeformation and heat treatment conditions in the modified SIMA process on microstructural of a new developed super high-strength aluminum alloy modified by A1-8B grain refiner", TMS Annual Meeting, Vol. 3, pp. 843-853, (2011).

[17] M. Alipour, M. Emamy, J. Rasizadeh, M. Karamouz, M. Azarbarmas, "Effects of Al-8B grain refiner on the structure, hardness and tensile properties of a new developed super high strength aluminum alloy", TMS Annual Meeting, Vol. 2, pp. 309-320, (2011).

[18] B. Binesh, M. Aghaie-Khafri, RUE-based semi-solid processing: Microstructure evolution and effective parameters, Materials & Design, Vol. 95, pp. 268-286, (2016).

[19] B. Binesh, M. Aghaie-Khafri, "Microstructure and texture characterization of 7075 Al alloy during the SIMA process", Materials Characterization, Vol. 106, pp. 390-403, (2015).

[20] J. Buha,  R.N.  Lumley,  A.G.  Crosky, "Secondary ageing in an aluminium alloy 7050", Mater.  Sci.  Eng.  A, Vol. 492, p. 1, (2008).

[21] C.  Mondal,  A.K.  Mukhopadhyay,  T.  Raghu,  V.K.  Varma, "Tensile properties of peak aged 7055 aluminum alloy extrusions", Mater.  Sci.  Eng.  A, Vol. 454, p. 673, (2007).