Influence of the iron additive on the microstructural behavior of an aluminum-copper foundry alloy B206

Abstract

Although used and studied since the beginning of the century, the mechanical properties of aluminum-based structural hardening alloys still conceal some secrets that metallurgists are trying to uncover. In this work we are interested in aluminum alloys and more particularly in an Al-Cu alloy. The main objective of this work was to study the influence of structural hardening heat treatments on the evolution of the mechanical and structural properties of B206 alloys. For that, we used several experimental methods adapted to this kind of scientific work. We quote essentially: the thermal treatments of setting in hardening, as well as measurements of the hardness. The analysis of the experimental results obtained by these methods allowed us to explain and to affirm that Al-Cu alloys do not give appreciable structural hardening; because of the difficulty of diffusion of iron and silicon which influences the treatment and brought in a general way to the precipitation of the phase β; plays an important role in the evolution of the mechanical characteristics of Al-Cu alloys.