Study of Artificial Aging Temperature Effect on Morphology of Structural Parameters in Aluminium Cast Alloy
The contribution describes changes in morphology of structural parameters in recycled (secondary) AlSi9Cu3 cast alloy microstructure. These changes depended on different temperatures of artificial aging. The T6 heat treatment, which was used for affecting the structural parameters morphology, consisted of solution treatment at temperature 515 °C with holding time 4 hours, water quenching at 40°C and artificial aging at different temperatures 130 °C, 150 °C, 170 °C, 190 °C and 210 °C with different holding time 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 hours. The morphology of structural parameters was observed using combination of different analytical techniques (light microscopy upon black-white and colour etching, scanning electron microscopy - SEM upon deep etching). The different temperatures of artificial aging led to changes in microstructure include the spheroidization and coarsening of eutectic silicon, gradual disintegration, shortening and thinning of Fe-rich intermetallic phases, the dissolution of precipitates and the precipitation of finer hardening phase (Al2Cu).