Microstructure and hot cracking susceptibility of high conductivity Al-Fe-Si alloys.

Aluminium-silicon based casting alloys have been extensively utilised in various industrial applications, but their relatively low electrical and thermal conductivities make them unsuitable for high conductivity parts. In this research, Al-Fe-Si based high conductivity alloys containing limited silicon content were investigated. Al-0·5Fe- xSi alloys with silicon ranging from 0·5 to 2% showed significantly higher electrical conductivity than conventional Al-Si based alloys. The hot cracking susceptibility of Al-Fe-Si alloys became seriously high as the Si content increased up to 1·5%, then susceptibility rapidly reduced with the further increase in Si. The relationship between solidification characteristics and hot cracking susceptibility of Al-0·5Fe- xSi alloys was discussed based on the thermal and cooling curve analyses and microstructural observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]