Studies on the effect of minor addition of phosphorous on microstructure, mechanical and wear behavior of LM-28 alloy

Abstract

Purpose – The main purpose of the research paper is to study the effect of refinement of primary silicon on sliding wear behavior of commercially available LM-28 alloy and correlate these with the micro-structural and mechanical properties. It is well known that the refinement of primary silicon increases the toughness, ultimate tensile stress (UTS) and wear resistance of the Al-Si alloys at ambient temperature. But exact addition level is not clearly mentioned in the paper; hence, the present paper throws light on the addition level for refinement of primary silicon present in LM-28 alloy. Design/methodology/approach – In the present paper, commercially available LM-28 alloy was prepared in the laboratory before and after the addition of Cu-P master alloy. Further wear studies will be carried out at room temperature. Wear properties are correlated with microstructure and mechanical properties. Findings – Improvements in mechanical properties were observed after refinement of the primary silicon present in LM-28 alloy. Research limitations/implications – Further studies are required regarding in-depth investigation of refinement of primary silicon and its effects on the life of the components prepared by this alloy. Practical implications – The data obtained from the research paper help the manufacturers of automotive, aerospace and marine components, such as pistons, cylinder heads and blocks, etc. Social implications – The present research work will be an essential information required for the students of undergraduate, postgraduate and research scholars to carry out research at an R&D centre. Originality/value – Experiments are conducted at an R&D centre and analyses were carried out for structural changes, mechanical properties and wear properties. Further, the results are compared with other researcher’s data.