Effects of Superheating Treatment on the Microstructure, Tensile and Thermal Conductivity Properties of Fe-Bearing Al-10Si-Mg Casting Alloy

Abstract

In this study, we designed and manufactured a new Fe-bearing Al-10Si-Mg casting alloy (F alloy) and investigated its microstructure, mechanical properties, and thermal conductivity. Two types of Fe-bearing Al-10Si-Mg alloys were used: the Conventional-F alloy, injected at 720 ℃ and cooled by water quenching, and the Superheated-F alloy, heated to 820 ℃ and maintained at that temperature for 1 hour. Subsequently, it underwent a degassing process at 720 ℃ before being cooled by water quenching. Both the Conventional-F alloy and the Superheated-F alloy exhibited dendritic microstructures and Fe-intermetallic compounds. The Secondary Dendrite Arm Spacing (SDAS) of the Conventional-F alloy measured 32.4 μm, whereas the Superheated-F alloy measured 28.6 μm. Additionally, the average eutectic Si sizes were 10.3 μm for the Conventional-F alloy and 7.7 μm for the Superheated-F alloy. Fe-rich IMCs were observed in the eutectic region, with their size decreasing due to the superheating treatment. Tensile tests at room temperature were conducted at a strain rate of 10^-3/s. The Conventional-F alloy exhibited a yield strength (YS) of 93.4 MPa, ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 183 MPa, and an elongation (El.) of 6.4%. Conversely, the Superheated-F alloy displayed a YS of 115.4 MPa, UTS of 218.2 MPa, and an El. of 5.1%. The mechanical properties notably improved with the superheating treatment. Regarding thermal conductivity, the Conventional-F alloy exhibited 114.9 W/m·K, while the Superheated-F alloy displayed 153.7 W/m·K. This represents a roughly 14% increase compared to the thermal conductivity of the commercial Al-10Si-Mg material (Silafont36: 135.1 W/m·K). The effects of the Superheating Treatment on microstructural characteristics, deformation behavior, and thermal conductivity of the Fe-bearing Al-10Si-Mg casting alloys were discussed.