• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.147-154
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• 2015

The effects of Sc and Sr elements on the modification of the eutectic $Mg_2Si$ phase and the castability were investigated in the Al-4wt%Mg-0.9wt%Si-0.3wt%Mn-0.15wt%Fe alloy. Measurements of the cooling curve and microstructure observations were performed to analyze the additional effects of Sc and Sr minor elements during the solidification process. A prominent effect found on the modification of the eutectic $Mg_2Si$ phase with additions of the Sr and Sc elements. Here, a fine eutectic $Mg_2Si$ phase and a decrease in the growth temperature of the eutectic $Mg_2Si$ phase were evident with an addition of Sc element up to 0.2 wt%. The growth temperature of the eutectic $Mg_2Si$ phase decreased and the effect on the modification of the eutectic $Mg_2Si$ phase increased with the addition of Sr element up to 0.02 wt%. The addition of 0.02wt%Sr had the strongest effect on the modification of the eutectic $Mg_2Si$ phase, and the resulting microstructure of the eutectic $Mg_2Si$ phase was found to have a fibrous morphology with a decreased aspect ratio and an increased modification ratio. Fluidity and shrinkage tests were conducted to evaluate the castability of the alloy. The addition of 0.02wt%Sr effectively increased the fluidity of the alloy, while an addition of Sc did not show any effect compared to when nothing was added. The maximum filling length was recorded for 0.01wt%TiB-0.02wt%Sr owing to the effect of the fine ${\alpha}$-Al grains. The macro-shrinkage ratio decreased, while the micro-shrinkage ratio increased with the addition of various eutectic modifiers. The highest ratio of micro-shrinkage was recorded for the 0.02wt%Sr condition. However, the total shrinkage ratio was nearly identical regardless of the amounts added in this study.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.148-156
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• 2017

The effects of minor additives on the casting properties of AC4A aluminum alloys were investigated. Measurements of the cooling curve and microstructure observations were conducted to analyze the effects of Ti-B and Sr minor elements during the solidification process. A fine grain size and an increase in the crystallization temperature for the ${\alpha}-Al$ solution were evident after the addition of 0.1wt% Al-5%Ti-1%B additive. The modification effect of the eutectic $Mg_2Si$ phase with the addition of 0.05% Al-10%Sr additive was prominent. A fine eutectic $Mg_2Si$ phase and a decrease in the growth temperature of the eutectic $Mg_2Si$ phase were evident. Fluidity, shrinkage and solidification-cracking tests were conducted to evaluate the castability of the alloy. The combined addition of Al-5%Ti-1%B and Al-10%Sr additives showed the maximum filling length owing to the effect of the fine ${\alpha}-Al$ grains. The macro-shrinkage ratio increased, while the micro-shrinkage ratio decreased with the combined addition of Al-5%Ti-1%B and Al-10%Sr additives. The macro-shrinkage ratio was nearly identical, while the micro-shrinkage ratio increased with the addition of the Al-10%Sr additive. The tendency of the occurrence of solidification cracking decreased owing to the effect of the fine ${\alpha}-Al$ grains and the modification of the $Mg_2Si$ phase with the combined addition of Al-5%Ti-1%B and Al-10%Sr additives.

• 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.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2016

Improvement of the mechanical properties of a commercial aluminium casting alloy, A356, was achieved through an optimised combination of alloying elements, modification, and heat treatment. 0.7 wt.% Cu and an additional 0.2 wt.% Mg were added to an Al-7Si-0.35Mg alloy for strengthening at both room and elevated temperatures, whilst a subsequent decrease in the ductility was compensated for by the modification of eutectic Si by Sr addition at a level of up to 110 ppm. It was found that the dissolution of Cu-rich or Mg-rich phases could be maximised by solid-solutionising an alloy with 40 ppm Sr at $530^{\circ}C$, increasing the tensile and yield strengths to 350 MPa and 297 MPa, respectively, with a reasonably high strain of 5% after peak-aging at $210^{\circ}C$. Further addition of Sr up to 110 ppm is, however, more likely to interfere with the dissolution of the Cu-rich or Mg-rich phases during solid solution treatment, resulting in a slight decrease in both tensile and yield strengths at room temperature. Besides the Cu addition, such undissolved phases, on the other hand, may contribute to elevated temperature strength at $200^{\circ}C$.