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The study deals with the element–phase composition, microstructure evolution, crystal-lattice parameter, and microdistortions as well as the size of the coherent scattering region in the Al–10.65Si–2.11Cu and Al–5.39Si–1.33Cu alloys irradiated with the high-intensity electron beam. As revealed by the methods of x-ray phase analysis, the principal phases in untreated alloys are the aluminium-based solid solution, silicon, intermetallics, and Fe2Al9Si2 phase. In addition, the Cu9Al4 phase is detected in Al–10.65Si–2.11Cu alloy. Processing alloys with the pulsed electron beam induces the transformation of lattice parameters of Al–10.65Si–2.11Cu (aluminium-based solid solution) and Al–5.39Si–1.33Cu (Al1 and Al2 phases). The reason for the crystal-lattice parameter change in the Al–10.65Si–2.11Cu and Al–5.39Si–1.33Cu alloys is suggested to be the changing concentration of alloying elements in the solid solution of these phases. As established, if a density of electron beam is of 30 and 50 J/cm2, the silicon and intermetallic compounds dissolve in the modified layer. The state-of-the-art methods of the physical materials science made possible to establish the formation of a layer with a nanocrystalline structure of the cell-type crystallization because of the material surface irradiation. The thickness of a modified layer depends on the parameters of the electron-beam treatment and reaches maximum of 90 µm at the energy density of 50 J/cm2. According to the transmission (TEM) and scanning (SEM) electron microscopy data, the silicon particles occupy the cell boundaries. Such changes in the structural and phase states of the materials response on their mechanical characteristics. To characterize the surface properties, the microhardness, wear parameter, and friction coefficient values are determined directly on the irradiated surface for all modification variants. As shown, the irradiation of the material surface with an intensive electron beam increases wear resistance and microhardness of the Al–10.65Si–2.11Cu and Al–5.39Si–1.33Cu alloys.

Aluminium alloys can be strengthened significantly by nano-scale precipitates that restrict dislocation movement. In this study, the evolution of inhomogenously distributed trialuminide precipitates in two multi-component alloys was characterised by synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The appropriate selection of reference sample and data treatment required to successfully characterise a low volume fraction of precipitates in multi-component alloys via SAXS was investigated. The resulting SAXS study allowed the analysis of statistically significant numbers of precipitates (billions) as compared to electron microscopy (hundreds). Two cast aluminium alloys with different volume fractions of Al3ZrxV1-x precipitates were studied. Data analysis was conducted using direct evaluation methods on SAXS spectra and the results compared with those from transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Precipitates were found to attain a spherical structure with homogeneous chemical composition. Precipitate evolution was quantified, including size, size distribution, volume fraction and number density. The results provide evidence that these multi-component alloys have a short nucleation stage, with coarsening dominating precipitate size. The coarsening rate constant was calculated and compared to similar precipitate behaviour.

International audience; Cast Al-Si alloys have been widely used in automotive applications with regard to their low density and excellent thermal conductivity. Many components made of these alloys are subjected to cyclic loads which can lead to fatigue failure. Furthermore, for these materials the well know size effect in fatigue, whereby the fatigue strength is reduced when the size is increased, can be significant and need to be properly evaluated. This paper analyses the role of casting defects on the fatigue strength’s size effect sensitivity. A uniaxial fatigue testing campaign (R=0.1) has been conducted using two cast aluminium alloys, fabricated by different casting processes (gravity die casting and lost foam casting), associated with the T7 heat treatment, and with different degrees of porosity. The fatigue response of different specimens (smooth and notched) with different stressed volumes has been investigated. The first part of this article is dedicated to the experimental characterization of the size effect in both alloys via the concept of the Highly Stressed Volume. The second part investigates the effect of the Highly Stressed Volume on the critical defect size via Kitagawa-Takahashi diagrams. The results show that the magnitude of the size effect and the experimental scatter are strongly linked to the characteristics of the defect population present in the alloy. It is revealed that the alloy B, with a high density of pore and a population of defects with relatively large size, shows non-significant size effect and less scatter in fatigue strength. In comparison, alloy A that exhibits a low density of pore and a population of defects of relatively small size manifests significant size effect and high scatter in fatigue strength.

The results of the investigations of the laser remelting of the AlSi9Cu4 cast aluminium alloy with the anodised and non-anodised surfacelayer and hardness changes have been presented in this paper. The surface layer of the tested aluminium samples was remelted with thelaser of a continuous work. The power density was from 8,17•103 W/cm2 to 1,63•104 W/cm2. The metallographic tests were conducted inform of light microscope investigations of the received surface layer. The main goal of the investigation was to find the relation betweenthe laser beam power and its power density falling on a material, evaluating the shape and geometry of the remelted layers and theirhardness. As the substrate material two types of surfaces of the casted AlSi9Cu4 alloy were applied – the non–treated as cast surface aswell the anodized surface. As a device for this type of surface laser treatment the High Power Diode Laser was applied with a maximumpower of 2.2 kW and the dimensions of the laser beam focus of 1.8 x 6.8 mm. By mind of such treatment it is also possible to increasehardness as well eliminate porosity and develop metallurgical bonding at the coating-substrate interface. Suitable operating conditions forHPDL laser treatment were finally determined, ranging from 1.0 to 2.0 kW. Under such conditions, taking into account the absorptionvalue, the effects of laser remelting on the surface shape and roughness were studied. The results show that surface roughness is reducedwith increasing laser power by the remelting process only for the non-anodised samples, and high porosity can be found in the with highpower remelted areas. The laser influence increases with the heat input of the laser processing as well with the anodisation of the surface,because of the absorption enhancement ensured through the obtained alumina layer.

TMF loading in diesel cylinder heads made of cast aluminium alloys is expected to steadily become more severe in the future. This increasing loading condition will lead to an early crack initialization and eventually determine component life. Against this background several cast aluminium alloys have been studied with respect to their thermal and mechanical properties. In addition to standardized specimens, near component-shaped samples were tested under thermomechanical fatigue conditions in a testing device which represents near-service conditions, in order to characterize life until a long crack is formed. The sample geometry tries to represent the valve bridge of a diesel cylinder head, which is known to be the most thermomechanically loaded and hence critical part in this component. The results of the TMF tests with this new type of sample were compared with the results obtained on standardized specimens. The experimental results formed a sound basis to improve the thermomechanical life prediction methodology for cast aluminium alloys. Two different life prediction models were used to assess the TMF life of the near-component samples. Furthermore, an aging model for cast aluminium alloys was derived from the experimental results including the pronounced change of the mechanical properties which result from the combined effects of aging and cyclic plastic deformation. The comparison of the experimental and predicted results clearly shows that the new model leads to an improvement of the TMF life prediction.

The role of various intermetallic precipitates (IMP), or secondary phase particles, in governing the wear and corrosion performance characteristics of cast aluminium alloys is outlined in this brief review. Such alloys are especially important in transport applications where their low weight, low cost and recyclability make them very attractive. However alloy wear and/or corrosion behaviour often limit their industrial application and more work needs to done to extend their use into other areas. Careful control of IMP nucleation and growth rates may be beneficial, especially in alloys exposed to corrosive environments. Silicon, copper and magnesium are all important elements for enhanced mechanical strength and tribological performance but often to the detriment of alloy corrosion resistance. Other elements such as iron may also play a significant role in deleterious IMP formation. Use of dispersoids based on novel (quasicrystals) seed alloys with similar lattice characteristics to the α-Al matrix may result in further exploitation of these alloys.

The three-dimensional (3-D) architecture of rigid multiphase networks present in AlSi10Cu5Ni1 and AlSi10Cu5Ni2 piston alloys in as-cast condition and after 4 h spheroidization treatment is characterized by synchrotron tomography in terms of the volume fraction of rigid phases, interconnectivity, contiguity and morphology. The architecture of both alloys consists of α-Al matrix and a rigid long-range 3-D network of Al 7 Cu 4 Ni, Al 4 Cu 2 Mg 8 Si 7 , Al 2 Cu, Al 15 Si 2 (FeMn) 3 and AlSiFeNiCu aluminides and Si. The investigated architectural parameters of both alloys studied are correlated with room-temperature and high-temperature (300 °C) strengths as a function of solution treatment time. The AlSi10Cu5Ni1 and AlSi10Cu5Ni2 alloys behave like metal matrix composites with 16 and 20 vol.% reinforcement, respectively. Both alloys have similar strengths in the as-cast condition, but the AlSi10Cu5Ni2 is able to retain ∼15% higher high temperature strength than the AlSi10Cu5Ni1 alloy after more than 4 h of spheroidization treatment. This is due to the preservation of the 3-D interconnectivity and the morphology of the rigid network, which is governed by the higher degree of contiguity between aluminides and Si.

Environmental savings can be made by increasing the use of aluminium alloys in the automotive industry as the vehicles can be made lighter. Increasing the knowledge about the heat treatment process is one task in the direction towards this goal. The aim of this work is to investigate and model the heat treatment process for Al-Si casting alloys. Three alloys containing Mg and/or Cu were cast using the gradient solidification technique to achieve three different coarsenesses of the microstructure and a low amount of defects. Solution treatment was studied by measuring the concentration of Mg, Cu and Si in the α-Al matrix using wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (WDS) after various times at a solution treatment temperature. A diffusion based model was developed which estimates the time needed to obtain a high and homogenous concentration of alloying elements for different alloys, temperatures and coarsenesses of the microstructure. It was shown that the yield strength after artificial ageing is weakly dependent on the coarseness of the microstructure when the solution treatment time is adjusted to achieve complete dissolution and homogenisation. The shape and position of ageing curves (yield strength versus ageing time) was investigated empirically in this work and by studying the literature in order to differentiate the mechanisms involved. A diffusion based model for prediction of the yield strength after different ageing times was developed for Al-Si-Mg alloys. The model was validated using data available in the literature. For Al-Si-Cu-Mg alloys further studies regarding the mechanisms involved need to be performed. Changes in the microstructure during a heat treatment process influence the plastic deformation behaviour. The Hollomon equation describes the plastic deformation of alloys containing shearable precipitates well, while the Ludwigson equation is needed when a supersaturated solid solution is present. When non-coherent precipitates are present, none of the equations describe the plastic deformation well. The evolution of the storage rate and recovery rate of dislocations was studied and coupled to the evolution of the microstructure using the Kocks-Mecking strain hardening theory.

Cast Aluminium Alloys, because of the propensity of aluminium to react with impurities and alloying elements, are prone to developing IM impurities during the solidification process. These IM phases can act, in some fluids, as initiation sites for localised corrosion processes, resulting in degradation phenomena, such as pitting. Whilst Thermal Spray coatings can improve the wear resistance of Cast Aluminium Alloys, their corrosion performance may be hampered by the presence of through porosity within the coating. The present work details some preliminary studies of the localised corrosion processes occurring at the interface area between a Thermal Spray coating and a cast aluminium alloy. Using the SVP100 SVET system, cross sections of the coated samples, immersed in a NaCl or NaCl/HCl solution, were scanned, over extended periods, in order to map the progressive development of cathodic and anodic areas. EIS sampling, over periods of up to 72 hours, and the results of the Acidified Salt Spray cabinet testing are also presented. Although only preliminary work has been performed thus far, the premise that the presence of more noble metals along the path of open pores in Thermal Spray coatings on cast Aluminium Alloy, LM25, in the presence of an aggressive aqueous solution, results in the expedited corrosion of the substrate is demonstrated. This occurs, preferentially, around the intermetallic phases, predominantly Fe-based, and results in further destruction of the coating, through spalling, exposing additional substrate to corrosive attack.