• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.226-232
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• 2021

The relationship between precipitation and coefficient of thermal expansion of Al-6%Si-0.4%Mg-0.9%Cu-(Ti) alloy (in wt.%) after various heat treatments were studied by the thermodynamic analyzer (TMA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Solution heat treatment of the alloy was carried out at 535℃ for 6 h followed by water quenching, and the samples were artificially aged in the air at 180℃ and 220℃ for 5 h. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) curve showed some residual strain and decreased with increasing aging temperature. The CTE curves changed sharply in the temperature range of 200℃ to 400℃, and the corresponding peak shifted for the aged samples due to the change in the precipitation behavior of the secondary phase. These transformation peaks in the aged sample are related to the volume of the precipitation of the Si phase as determined by DSC analysis. The change in CTE is mainly caused by the precipitation of the Si phase in the Al-Si alloy, and the size of the change occurs simultaneously with the size of the precipitate.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.19-24
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• 2015

Joint properties of electric control unit (ECU) module using Sn-Cu-(X)Al(Si) lead-free solder alloy were investigated for automotive electronics module. In this study, Sn-0.5Cu-0.01Al(Si) and Sn-0.5Cu-0.03Al(Si) (wt.%) lead-free alloys were fabricated as bar type by doped various weight percentages (0.01 and 0.03 wt.%) of Al(Si) alloy to Sn-0.5Cu. After fabrications of lead-free alloys, the ball-type solder alloys with a diameter of 450 um were made by rolling and punching. The melting temperatures of 0.01Al(Si) and 0.03Al(Si) were 230.2 and $230.8^{\circ}C$, respectively. To evaluation of properties of solder joint, test printed circuit board (PCB) finished with organic solderability perseveration (OSP) on Cu pad. The ball-type solders were attached to test PCB with flux and reflowed for formation of solder joint. The maximum temperature of reflow was $260^{\circ}C$ for 50s above melting temperature. And then, we measured spreadability and shear strength of two Al(Si) solder materials compared to Sn-0.7Cu solder material used in industry. And also, microstructures in solder and intermetallic compounds (IMCs) were observed. Moreover, thickness and grain size of $Cu_6Sn_5$ IMC were measured and then compared with Sn-0.7Cu. With increasing the amounts of Al(Si), the $Cu_6Sn_5$ thickness was decreased. These results show the addition of Al(Si) could suppress IMC growth and improve the reliability of solder joint.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.132-137
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• 2015

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the effects of solution treatment time and Sr-modification on the microstructure and property of the Al-Si piston alloy. It was found that as-cast microstructures of unmodified and Sr-modified Al-Si alloys consisted of a coarse acicular plate of eutectic Si, $Cu_3NiAl_6$ and $Mg_2Si$ phases in the ${\alpha}$-Al matrix but different in size and morphology. Both size and inter-particle spacing of Si particles were significantly changed by increasing of the solution treatment time. After a short solution treatment, the coarse acicular plate of the eutectic Si appears to be fragmented. Fully modified microstructure of Sr-modified alloy can reduce the solution treatment time to shorter compared to unmodified alloy. The maximum of a peak hardness value is found in the very short solution treatment of both Al-Si piston alloys. Compared to 10 h solution treatment, the solution treatment of 2-4 h is sufficient to achieve appropriate microstructures and hardness. The short solution treatment is very useful to increase the productivity and to reduce the manufacturing cost of the Al-Si piston alloys.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2020

In this study, the effects of Sm addition (0, 0.05, 0.2, 0.5 wt%) on the microstructure, hardness, and electrical and thermal conductivity of Al-11Si-1.5Cu aluminum alloy were investigated. As a result of Sm addition, increment in the amount of α-Al and refinement of primary Si from 70 to 10 ㎛ were observed due to eutectic temperature depression. On the other hand, Sm was less effective at refining eutectic Si because of insufficient addition. The phase analysis results indicated that Sm-rich intermetallic phases such as Al-Fe-Mg-Si and Al-Si-Cu formed and led to decrements in the amount of primary Si and eutectic Si. These microstructure changes affected not only the hardness but also the electrical and thermal conductivity. When 0.5 wt% Sm was added to the alloy, hardness increased from 84.4 to 91.3 Hv, and electric conductivity increased from 15.14 to 16.97 MS/m. Thermal conductivity greatly increased from 133 to 157 W/m·K.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.227-232
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• 2013

Al-based alloys have recently attracted considerable interest as structural materials and light weight materials due to their excellent physical and mechanical properties. For the investigation of the potential of Al-based alloys, a surface porous $Al_{88}Cu_6Si_6$ eutectic alloy has been fabricated through a chemical leaching process. The formation and microstructure of the surface porous $Al_{88}Cu_6Si_6$ eutectic alloy have been investigated using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The $Al_{88}Cu_6Si_6$ eutectic alloy is composed of an ${\alpha}$-Al dendrite phase and a single eutectic phase of $Al_2Cu$ and ${\alpha}$-Al. We intended to remove only the ${\alpha}$-Al phase and then the $Al_2Cu$ phase would form a porous structure on the surface with open pores. Both acidic and alkaline aqueous chemical solutions were used with various concentrations to modify the influence on the microstructure and the overall chemical reaction was carried out for 24 hr. A homogeneous open porous structure on the surface was revealed via selective chemical leaching with a $H_2SO_4$ solution. Only the ${\alpha}$-Al phase was successfully leached while the morphology of the $Al_2Cu$ phase was maintained. The pore size was in a range of $1{\sim}5{\mu}m$ and the dealloying depth was nearly $3{\mu}m$. However, under an alkaline NaOH, aqueous solution, an inhomogeneous porous structure on the surface was formed with a 5 wt% NaOH solution and the morphology of the $Al_2Cu$ phase was not preserved. In addition, the sample that was leached by using a 7 wt% NaOH solution crumbled. Al extracted from the Al2Cu phase as ${\alpha}$-Al phase was dealloyed, and increasing concentration of NaOH strongly influenced the morphology of the $Al_2Cu$ phase and sample statement.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2023

In order to broaden the range of application of light weight aluminum alloys, it is necessary to enhance the mechanical properties of the alloys and combine them with other materials, such as cast iron. In this study, the effects of adding small amounts of Cu and Zr to the Al-Si-Mg based alloy on tensile properties and corrosion characteristics were investigated, and the effect of the addition on the interfacial compounds layer with the cast iron was also analyzed. Although the tensile strength of the Al-Si-Mg alloy was not significantly affected by the additions of Cu and Zr, the corrosion resistance in 3.5 %NaCl solution was found to be somewhat lowered in this research. The influence of Cu and Zr addition on the type and thickness of the interfacial compounds layer formed during compound casting with cast iron was not significant, and the main interfacial compounds were identified to be Al₅FeSi and Al₈Fe₂Si phases, as in the case of the Al-Si-Mg alloys.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.355-358
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• 2004

In this study, the deformation characteristics of grain-size controlled rheology materials surfaces were investigated as a part of the research on the surface crack prediction in semi-solid formed automobile components. The microstructure of rheology Al-Si alloys consists of primary and eutectic regions. In eutectic regions the crack initiation begins with initial fracture of the eutectic silicon particles and inside other intermetallic phases. Nano-deformation characteristics in the eutectic and primary region of semi-solid aluminum alloys (356 alloy and 319 alloy) were investigated through the nanoindentation/scratch experiments and the AFM observation.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.300-306
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• 2018

In the present study we proposed new equations to predict the liquidus temperature curve for hypoeutectic Al-Si-Cu-Mg alloy. A thermodynamic simulation was carried out to calculate the liquidus temperature, eutectic temperature and eutectic Si concentration with different Si, Cu, and Mg contents in hypoeutectic Al-Si alloys. Regressed equations were derived using the thermodynamic simulation results by multiple regression analysis. The proposed equations were compared with the equations reported previously by other researchers and agreed better with the experimental data. The addition of Cu and Mg lowered the eutectic temperature. The eutectic Si concentration was decreased by adding Cu whereas that was increased by adding Mg. Al-Si binary phase diagram was successfully predicted with a consideration of the effect of Cu and Mg addition by using the proposed equations.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.262-271
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• 1995

It is well known what is impossible to refine primary and eutectic Si simultaneously by addition of both Cu-P and Sr(or Na). Because of the formation of compound $Sr_3P_2(or Na_3P)$ in the melt, in the result, both effects disappear. In this study Al-Cu-P alloy that comprises AlP compounds inside is added in the melt with Sr simultaneously. As AlP compounds that act on nucleation sites of primary Si are not formed but added directly an the melt, it is difficult to form $Sr_3P_2$ by reaction with Sr. Therefore it is possible to refine primary and eutectic Si simultaneously in the general casting process by use of Al-Cu-P alloy and Sr.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.585-591
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• 1997

Hyper-eutectic Al-17.5wt%Si alloy bars of 25 mm in diameter were produced by horizontal continuous casting process. Effect of both casting speed and primary Si refiner (AlCuP) on microstructure and mechanical properties of the alloy have been investigated. With increasing a weight fraction of AlCuP, the average primary Si size decreased down to $20 {\mu}m$. On the contrary, there was no notable changes of microstructure and primary Si size according to the casting speed in the experimental range of this study, indicating that the cooling rate should be increased to optimize and refine microstructure and primary Si size. The experimental results including hardness, tensile strength and wear resistance tests of the processed alloy bars showed a good possibility to develop the high performance wear resistant Al-Si alloy.