International Conference on Mechanical, Industrial and Materials Engineering 2013 (ICMIME2013) 1-3 Novem er, 2013, !"E#, !

a$shahi, %angladesh&

Paper ID: MS-07

Effect of Cu in Al-Si Alloys with Phase Modelling

E. A. Ashrafi, A. Hasan and H. M. M. A. Rashed
Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dha a!"###, Bangladesh
E-mail' ashrafi&mme(gmail&com, hrashed(mme& uet&ac& d

Abstract
) com*arison stud+ on co**er content and effect of homogenisation treatment ,as *erformed et,een t,o )l--i allo+s containing var+ing amount of co**er& . servation of microstructure revealed the formation of several intermetallic *hases due to the *resence of co**er& Image anal+sis on the ac/uired images confirmed the relative changes in *ercent *hase fractions due to larger amount of co**er since the total amount of intermetallic *hases ,as increased& )lso, higher co**er content sho,ed a *ositive res*onse on measured hardness values& 0omogenisation at 300oC caused increased hardness u* to 2 hour for age-hardening, ,hich ,as decreased significantl+ after 1 hour of heating due to over-ageing& -olidification calculations + thermod+namic modelling a**roach sho,ed that )l2Cu and )l3Ni2 *hases ,ere *redicted to e most sta le at the homogenisation tem*erature and these t,o *hases ,ere res*onsi le for the increased in hardness due to co**er addition& $ey%ords& 'A()HAD, )hase Modelling, Aluminium Alloys.

1. Introduction
Aluminium is the most a*undant metal in the earth+s crust. ,t ma es up a*out -. *y %eight of the earth/s solid surface 0"1. Aluminium alloys %ith a %ide range of properties are used in engineering structures. These properties can *e largely modified *y changing the alloy composition. 2ilicon, copper, 3inc and magnesium are the most commonly used alloying elements in aluminium, %hich have sufficient solid solu*ility. The effect of copper addition on the structural features and mechanical properties of Al!2i!'u alloy have sho%n that copper addition increase the strength of these alloys 04!51. 6ield stress, hardness and micro!hardness increase %ith increase in copper content regardless of alloy composition 071. 'opper also improves machina*ilitiy8 ho%ever, casta*ility, ductility and corrosion resistance are all decreased. The higher silicon alloys 9e.g. Al:"#2i:4'u; are used for pressure die castings, %hereas alloys %ith lo%er silicon and higher copper 9e.g. Al:<2i:='u; are used for sand and permanent mould castings. ,n general, the Al:2i:'u alloys are used for many of the applications of Al!2i alloys *ut %here higher strength is needed. >ne e?ample is the use of alloy <"@ 9Al:52i:<.A'u; for die cast 9permanent mould; automotive engine *loc s and cylinder heads in place of cast iron 0-1. The as!cast microstructure of cast aluminium alloys normally displays significant segregation and super! saturation 0-1. Bor this, homogenisation of aluminium alloys is often done to improve %or a*ility and mechanical properties *y dissolving the non!eCuili*rium, *rittle and inter!dendritic constituents, and *y providing a more homogeneous structure. Thermodynamic models have *een developed for the calculation of various thermo!physical and physical properties %ith the aim of providing thermo!physical and physical properties for various types of multi! component alloys during solidification. Thermodynamic phase modelling approach is *ased on 'A()HAD 9'A(culation of )HAse Diagrams; method 0@1, %hich is used for calculation of a %ide range of materials properties for alloys and is particularly aimed at multi!component alloys. Using phase analysis modelling approach and microstructure analysis, it is possi*le to identify the phases present in the microstructure of an alloy, %hich has direct influences on the mechanical properties. ,n this %or , the effects of copper content and homogenisation treatment on microstructure and hardness values %ere studied using modelling, microstructural study and image analysis method.

2. Ex eri!ental

A master alloy %as prepared *y melting locally availa*le aluminium pistons used for automo*iles. After%ards, copper %ire %as added at some predefined %eight fractions into the master alloy to alter alloy composition. The ra% materials %ere melt into a gas fired cruci*le pit furnace and %ere cast in a sand mould in the shape of a long rectangular *ar. Bor changing the alloy composition, second casting %as done in a permanent metal mould of circular cross!section 9(ength "7# mm, Diameter "7 mm;. Bor *oth alloys, the melt %as heated up to -A# o' and poured at -##o'. 'ompositions of *oth alloys %ere measured *y >ptical Emission 2pectrometer 92himad3u )DA 7##; and verified *y %et chemical analysis methods. The average compositions found from >E2 analysis are sho%n in Ta*le ". Alloy Master 2econd "able 1. 'ompositions of alloys used in e?periment 9in %t.; Al 2i 'u Mg Be -5.#@ 7.@@ #.$ #.75 #.7# -".5@ 7.-# %.&' #.A#.5#

Di #.A" #.=-

Mn #.<= #.4@

Homogenisation of the second alloy %as done in a BlueM Electric furnace at <## o' for ", 4 and = hours. After homogenisation, the samples %ere Cuenched in %ater to retain the microstructure. The hardness of the alloys at several steps %as measured *y Universal Testing Machine 9Brinell hardness; and Roc %ell Hardness Tester 9in B scale;. Then these values %ere converted into Roc %ell B scale. Microstructures of all samples %ere studied in unetched condition. All images %ere ta en in >ptica B!5## MET trinocular upright metallurgical microscope, using >pticaTM Eision )ro soft%are. ,mages %ere ta en at A##F magnification under the same RGB values and pi?el resolutions for comparing. ,mage of graticule scale 9" div H #.#" mm; %as also ta en at the same magnification to Cuantify the dimensions of microstructure. ,mage analysis %as accomplished using ,mageI version ".=<u to find out the percentages of different phases. At least "# images of microstructures for each alloy %ere ta en and analysed to find out the average values of the amounts of phase areasJfractions. Modelling of the alloys %as done using thermodynamic modelling approach to predict the relationships among composition, temperature, phases and properties.

#. (esults and discussion

Microstructure obser)ation
Big. " sho%s the microstructure of as!cast master alloy and second alloy. ,n *oth images, presence of silicon and several intermetallic compounds in aluminium matri? are identified. 2ome of these phases %ere present as particles in the microstructure. )hases %ere identified *ased on previous %or s for these alloys 0"#!"41. The microstructure of the second alloy is some%hat different from the master alloy due to presence of more copper 9Big. "9*;;. ,nter!particle spacing of the phases %ere small in this higher intermetallics containing alloy.

*ig 1. Microstructure of as!cast a; master alloy K *; second alloy Big. 4 sho%s the microstructure of the second alloy after homogenisation at <## o'. After homogenisation of " hour, the fine particles of silicon and intermetallics are distri*uted around the dendritic pure aluminium matri?. Lith increased homogenisation time, the dendrites start to disappear and the particles gro% in si3e due to higher atomic movement for longer time due to diffusion. After = hours of treatment, dendrites are removed completely, %hereas the particles have gro%n all throughout the matri?.

*ig 2. Microstructure of second alloy after heating at <##o' for a; " hour, *; 4 hour K c; = hour

I!age analysis
,mage analysis results are sho%n in Big. <. Brom the achieved data, it can *e seen that the amount of intermetallic compounds have increased significantly in the second alloy attri*uted to copper addition. The fraction of silicon did not increase in an apprecia*le amount since silicon does not form any primary phase %ith copper.

*ig. #. ,mageI analysis result

"her!odyna!ic !odelling
Brom the 2tep Temperature calculation predicted in thermodynamic modelling, the evolution and a*olition of different phases in the master alloy are clearly o*served in Big. =. ,t is evident that an Al!Di phase 9Al <Di4; evolves at a*out A4#o', gro%s up to 4 %t. and then totally a*olishes at =## o'. Lhile this phase decreases in amount, another Al!'u!Di phase 9Al 7'u=Di; evolves at =@#o' and gro%s up to =.=# %t. and then remains sta*le %ith lo%ering temperature. Therefore, those aluminium and nic el content in Al!Di phase are transferred to the ne% Al!'u!Di phase. Also, the alpha solid solution increases to <.-# %t. after nucleating at 54# o', and reduces to 4.A# %t. %ith lo%ering temperature. At the same period, an Al!'u!Mg!2i phase 9Al A'u4Mg-2i5; continues to gro% from ".A# to 4.A# %t..

*ig. &. 'hanges in intermetallic phases in master alloy

*ig. $. 'ondition of mushy 3one in master alloy

Using thermodynamics approach, solidification simulation in 2cheil!Gulliver condition is also possi*le. 2uch modelling results are sho%n in Big. A for density of the liCuid and total system. The solidification of the master alloy starts at 54#o' and *ecomes completely solid at =@#o'.Aluminium alloys typically sho% considera*le shrin age and dendrite formation. The density of the liCuid phase increases up to a*out 4.7A gJcm < due its enrichment %ith 'u and other elements. Brom modelling of the second alloy, the formation of same phases as in the first alloy in step temperature calculation predicted is sho%n in Big. 5. Ho%ever, the amount of Al!'u phases increased considera*ly due to increased copper content, compared to the master alloy. The transformation of Al!Di phase to Al!'u!Di phase is seen for a very *rief period here 9*et%een A4#!A"Ao';. ,n addition, the Al!Be!Mg!2i phase does not form as occurred in master alloy.

<

*ig. '. 'hanges in intermetallic phases in second alloy

*ig. +. 'ondition of mushy 3one in second alloy

Brom solidification 2cheil!Gulliver modelling, it can *e seen that the alloy starts to solidify at 5"A o' and solidifies completely at =@#o'. The density change o*servation in Big. 7 sho%s that the liCuid density increased li e *efore %ith lo%ering temperature, *ut to a greater value of 4.@A gJcm <, compared to 4.7A gJcm < for master alloy. The total density is also increased, %hich is an influence of copper content. Brom modelling, it %as ascertained that copper content in liCuid increases to 4= %t. in second alloy, compared to only "= %t. for master alloy. This e?plains that the liCuid enrichment is mostly caused *y copper content.

Effects of hases in hardness

The hardness of the master alloy %as found to *e only 47.54 HRB, %hich increased significantly to =A.4 HRB *y an increase in 'u content from <.A to -.=5 %t. as sho%n in Big. -. *ig. %. Effect of cu addition in hardness *ig. ,. Effect of homogenisation in hardness

Homogenisation of the second alloy developed gradual increase in hardness after heating at <## o' for " and 4 hours due to precipitation!hardening of the alloy. Donetheless, it decreased considera*ly after heating for = hours as can *e seen in Big. @. This is attri*uted to over!ageing. The change in hardness *y homogenisation is related to the precipitation of particular phases, %hich is confirmed *y thermodynamic modelling. Brom single temperature calculation at homogenisation temperature 9<##o'; and room temperature 94Ao';, as sho%n in Big. "#, it is evident that Al <Di4 phase is sta*le at <##o'. Moreover, amount of Al4'u phase increased at <##o'. 2ince this microstructure is retained *y Cuenching follo%ed *y homogenisation treatment, these t%o phases are apparently responsi*le for such increment of hardness of the second alloy.

*ig. 1-. )hases of second alloy at <##o'

*ig. 11. 6oung/s modulus of phases

Burthermore, up to " and 4 hours of homogenisation, Al <Di4 and Al4'u phase continues to precipitate out of the matri? and results in precipitation!hardening phenomenon due to their fine si3e and coherency in the matri?, %hich provides resistance to dislocation motion. Ho%ever, longer e?posure to heat allo%s more diffusion to occur and particle coarsening of the phases reduces the Mener pinning effect of the particles and release of the dislocations %hich is considered as the reason for reduction of hardness of the second alloy. This is further confirmed from property modelling of the phases of the second alloy 9Big. "";. The Al <Di4 phase is predicted to provide ma?imum young/s modulus amongst the phases. Therefore, presence of this phase is considered to *e *eneficial for strengthening apart from Al4'u phase alone.

&. Conclusion
a. The presence of copper lo%ers the solidification temperature significantly. Addition of copper increases the range of mushy 3one, enriches the liCuid and causes segregation and dendrite formation. ,ncreasing copper causes higher hardness values. The microstructural study revealed the formation of several intermetallic phases. Modelling of these alloys confirmed the increased amount of intermetallic phases due to copper addition. *. Homogenisation of the second alloy caused the removal of dendrites, and gradual increase in si3e of the particles and their gro%th throughout the matri?. The hardness values increased *y precipitation!hardening process up to 4 hour homogenisation at <##o' and lo%ered considera*ly after = hour homogenisation. Lith increase of homogenisation time, diffusion accelerates phase coarsening, %hich affects dislocation distri*ution adversely and results in lo%er hardness values o*served. c. Thermodynamic modelling sho%s that increase in copper content promotes formation of Al 4'u and Al<Di4 phases at <##o' %hich apparently contri*utes to o*served higher hardness %hich %as confirmed *y the higher 6oung/s modulus of Al<Di4 phase.

$. Ac.nowledge!ent
The authors are grateful to Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology 9BUET;, Dha a : "###, for providing fund for this %or .

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