Effect of nano-clay addition and heat-treatment on tensile and stress-controlled low-cycle fatigue behaviors of aluminum-silicon alloy: Effect of nano-clay addition and heat-treatment

The objective of the present paper is to investigate the stress-controlled low-cycle fatigue behavior of piston aluminum-silicon (AlSi) alloy reinforced with nano-clay particles and T6 heat-treatment. The piston aluminum-silicon alloy strengthened by 1 wt.% nano-clay particles were prepared by the stir casting method and then subjected to the heat-treatment. The optical microscopy analysis demonstrates that heat-treatment changed the size, morphology, and distribution of silicon phases through the microstructure of the aluminum matrix. In addition to tensile tests, stress-controlled low-cycle fatigue experiments at different loading conditions including the variation of the mean stress, the stress rate, and the stress amplitude were conducted at room temperature. The obtained experimental results showed no clear improvement in either mechanical or fatigue properties of the material. Moreover, the density measurements using the Archimedes method reveal a higher content of the porosity in nano-composite. It was observed that the reinforcement (nano-particles and heat-treatment) can change the cyclic behavior of the AlSi alloy, significantly. The cyclic hardening feature of the AlSi alloy changed to cyclic softening and also the fatigue lifetime and the ratcheting resistance decreased after the nano-particles addition and heat-treatment. Through the microstructural analysis, it was indicated that the neglecting of higher kinematics of age hardening in nano-composite was the major source of mechanical properties reduction. In the end, it was shown that the fatigue lifetime of samples can be described adequately utilizing a modified plastic strain energy technique considering the mean stress effect.

Formation of Die Soldering and the Influence of Alloying Elements on the Intermetallic Interface

Die soldering of die castings is a serious problem in the aluminum casting industry. The precise mechanism, the influence of the alloy composition, and the options for prevention have not yet been fully elaborated. A well-established solution for alloys with low iron content is the addition of manganese. However, up to 0.8 wt.% is necessary, which increases the amount of brittle phases in the material and consequently reduces ductility. Immersion tests with 1.2343 tool steel and pure aluminum as well as a hypoeutectic AlSi-alloy with Mn, Mo, Co, and Cr additions were carried out to systematically investigate the formation of die soldering. Three different intermetallic layers and a scattered granular intermetallic phase formed at the interface between steel and Al-alloy after immersion into the melt for a duration of 6 min at 710 °C. The combined presence of the irregular, needle-shaped β-Al5FeSi phase and the surrounding alloy was responsible for the bond between the two components. Mn and Mo inhibited the formation of the β-phase, and instead promoted the αC-Al15(Fe,X)3Si2 phase. This led to an evenly running boundary to the AlSi-alloy and thus prevented bonding. Cr has proven to be the most efficient addition against die soldering, with 0.2 wt.% being sufficient. Contrary to the other elements investigated, Cr also reduced the thickness of the intermetallic interface.

Effect of infiltrated eutectic AlSi on the microstructure and properties of C/C composites

Eutectic AlSi alloy was pressure infiltrated into a porous C/C skeleton to develop a low cost new C/C composite for application without extreme high temperature. C/C composite possessed a density of 1.7 g/cm3 was prepared for comparison. The effects of filling AlSi with and without Al-Ti-C grain refiner on the microstructure and properties of C/C composites were mainly studied. Result indicated that the introduced AlSi interpenetrated with C/C skeleton and made the composites compact. In comparison with C/C composite, the compressive strength and particle erosion resistance were greatly enhanced while the density and thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) increased slightly. After adding the refiner, Si network involved dendritic Al in C/C-AlSi was transformed to refined mixed AlSi, Al bulk and Si surrounded dendritic Al, and two kinds of micro-cracks came into being, which resulted in the decreased strength, improved erosion property and increased CTE of C/C-AlSiR. Both AlSi textures and micro-cracks in the modified C/C composites determined the crack propagation and led to their different compressive behaviors and anti-erosion abilities.

Damping Capacity and Storage Modulus of SiC Matrix Composites Infiltrated by AlSi Alloy

In this paper, we describe how an aluminum alloy-reinforced silicon carbide ceramic matrix composite (SiCCMC) with excellent damping capacity and storage modulus was fabricated by infiltration. The effects of silicon (Si) on the microstructure and damping capacity of the composite were studied. The interface bonding and damping mechanism involved were also discussed. The results show that composites with high damping capacity can be obtained by infiltrating SiC ceramics with aluminum alloy. The residual Si in the SiC ceramic had little effect on the damping capacity, and it provided the passage of aluminum alloy into the interior of the SiC ceramic. The aluminum atoms penetrate the SiC particles by diffusion. Optimal composite damping capacity was obtained when the Si content in the aluminum alloy was 15 wt. %, because the AlSi/SiC interface friction dissipated most of thermal energy. Ti3SiC2 formed on the surface had little effect on the damping capacity. Additionally, by changing the Si content in the aluminum alloy, the strength and damping capacity of the composites can be controlled.

NOPT – New polishing techniques for scalable, light-weighted mirrors of different materials

In the framework of an assessment of optical polishing techniques, ESA has signed a contract with Media Lario to deliver two 250 mm mirrors with a common optical design to be polished down to very tight surface requirements. NOPT mirrors are respectively made of Zerodur and AlSi alloy with electroless nickel and will they be polished by means of bonnet polishing. Mirrors are light-weighted up to 20kg/m2; the mechanical and optical design is proven to be scalable up to 1m CA surfaces. This paper reviews the mirrors opto-mechanical design, introduce the polishing and metrology strategy while highlighting the differences and the common point in fabricating such mirror in Zerodur and metal.