Al-Si alloys - Microstructure and

Mechanical properties

PRESENTED BY:
PORUPUREDDI SRAVAN KUMAR
15/MM/74
UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF
DR.BIJAY KUMAR SHOW
DEP:- METALLURGICAL AND MATERIALS ENGINEERING
NIT DURGAPUR
CONTENTS:

 Introduction to Al alloys
 Designation of Al alloys
 Al-Si alloys
 Phase diagram of Al-Si alloy
 Microstructure of Al-Si alloys
 Mechanical properties of Al-Si alloys
Introduction to Al alloys:
 First Al alloy was invented in 1909 and that was Duralumin
which is alloy of Al ,Cu , Mg and Mn.
 Al alloys are widely used in automotive because they
have higher strength to weight ratio.
 The typical alloying elements are copper, magnesium,
manganese, silicon, and zinc.
 Aluminium alloys containing Mg and Si, are now being
used to replace steel panels in various automobile
industries.
Designation of Al alloys:

On the basis of the major alloying element it is done

They are designated according to to the Aluminium
Association Wrought Alloy Designation system which
consists of four numerical digits.
Alloy Main alloying element Applications
1xxx Mostly pure aluminum Electrical and chemical industries
2xxx Copper Aircraft components
3xxx Manganese Architectural applications
4xxx Silicon Welding rods, automobile parts
5xxx Magnesium Boat hulls, marine industries
6xxx Magnesium and silicon Architectural extrusions
7xxx Zinc Aircraft components
8xxx Other elements (e.g., Fe, Ni or Ti) Unassigned
9xxx Unassigned
Al-Si alloy:
 4xxx group
 Si is major alloying element
 Si increases fluidity of the melt and decreases shrinkage
 Reduces melt temperature
 Good castability and weldability
 It has low density (2.34 g cm-3 )
 Thermal expansion is reduced substantially by silicon
 Machinability is poor because of the hardness of the silicon
 The lattice parameter is decreased slightly by silicon
 Solubility of Si is very low . so, Si will be in the pure form
 Heat treatable
Phase diagram of Al-Si alloy:

a–Al Phase

Eutectic composition

β – Primary silicon
Microstructure of Al-Si alloy:
 if we observe hyper-eutectic microstructure we find β – phase
which consists of primary Si crystals and Al-Si eutectic.

 the primary silicon in normal hypereutectic alloys is usually very coarse.

 So , they show low strength and ductility because of the coarse

plate-like nature of the Si phase (poor properties).

 We have to add modifiers to improve the properties.

 Refinement of primary silicon is usually achieved by the addition

of phosphor to the melt

 It is widely recognized that the Group IA and IIA elements (Na,

Mg, Ca, Sr) are effective modifiers of Al-Si eutectic.
Mechanical properties of Al-Si alloy:
 These mechanical properties not only depends on the composition
but also on microstructure.
 now we discuss about the a – Al solid solution and primary Si.
formation of non- faceted dendrites

Non-faceted dendritic growth of

a hypoeutectic Al-Si alloy

a – Al is the matrix of cast aluminum-silicon(mostly Al).

a – Al : structure FCC.
Atoms are connected with
metallic bonds.
 Slip plane is (111) and family of
directions <110>

 Stacking fault energy is very high . so ,

very high density of moving dislocations
is present.

 the resistance to dislocation

movement—are low and almost do not
affect the proof stress value.

 Atoms are connected with

metallic bonds.

Aluminum atoms with outer electrons

that develop the interatomic bonds in
lattice
Properties of Si crystals:

 The silicon precipitates, present in

commercial aluminum silicon Elementary cell
of the crystalline
alloys, are almost pure.
Lattice of silicon

 They can have different

morphology: primary, compact,
massive precipitates in
hypereutectic alloy or branched
plates in aluminum-silicon
eutectic.

 Silicon crystal lattice is diamond

cubic. Interatomic bonds in
lattice silicon
 Each atom is bonded with four others with covalent
bonds, forming a tetrahedron. Eight tetrahedrons form
one elementary cell of Si lattice.

 Atoms , connected with covalent bonds, cannot

displace under an external force until the bonds are
completely broken. The material then cracks instantly.

 This is the reason for the high proof stress of silicon.

 Active slip plane is (111) and family of directions <110>.

Bi phase microstructure of the Al -
Si brittle hard silicon particles in
soft plastic aluminum matrix.

Reaction of the matrix

under external loading

Reaction of silicon particle

under external loading

Result of the loading of

material
 We have to decrease the risk of this brittle fracture in Si
particles so that mechanical properties are improved .

 And also softness of Al matrix should be increased.

 we can do this by heat treatment and cast technology.

The effect of composition on mechanical properties of Al-Si alloys
 It may be observed that as the amount of silicon in the alloy increases, the
strength properties of Al-Si alloys also increase up to the eutectic composition .

 after eutectic composition they show a decline with further increase in the
silicon content.

 However, elongation (%) decreases and hardness increases continuously with

increasing silicon content .

 This may be largely attributed to the size, shape and distribution of silicon
particles in the cast structures up to the eutectic composition.

 up to eutectic composition Silicon present as fine particles and uniformly

distributed .so , strength and hardness increases and %elongation decreases.

 But when we increase the Si after eutectic composition the primary silicon forms
as coarse polyhedral particles , strength properties decreases hardness
increases .
References:
• L.F. Mondolfo, Aluminum Alloys: Structure and Properties, Butterworths, London, 1976.

•http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alloy

•Davis J. R., Aluminum and aluminum alloys, J. R. Davis & Associates, ASM International.
Handbook Committee.

• M. Gupta, S. Ling, J. Alloys Compd. 287 (1999) 284–294.

•Murray J.L., McAlister A.J.; ASM Handbook Volume 3: Alloy Phase Diagrams, pp. 312.

•www.azom.com
Thank you