Microstructure and mechanical properties of aluminum/steel bimetal using compound casting with electroless nickel plating

Ziming Bao; Sheng Wang; Renheng Han; Ming Tang; Chengzhi Zhao; Hexin Zhang

doi:10.1088/2053-1591/abd825

Materials Research Express (Jan 2021)

Microstructure and mechanical properties of aluminum/steel bimetal using compound casting with electroless nickel plating

Ziming Bao,
Sheng Wang,
Renheng Han,
Ming Tang,
Chengzhi Zhao,
Hexin Zhang

Affiliations

Ziming Bao: ORCiD; College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University , Harbin, People’s Republic of China
Sheng Wang: College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University , Harbin, People’s Republic of China
Renheng Han: College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University , Harbin, People’s Republic of China
Ming Tang: College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University , Harbin, People’s Republic of China
Chengzhi Zhao: ORCiD; College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University , Harbin, People’s Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Superlight Materials and Surface Technology of Ministry of Education, Harbin Engineering University , Harbin, People’s Republic of China
Hexin Zhang: ORCiD; College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University , Harbin, People’s Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Superlight Materials and Surface Technology of Ministry of Education, Harbin Engineering University , Harbin, People’s Republic of China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/abd825
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 8, no. 1
p. 016517

Abstract

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The surface of steel substrate was pretreated by nickel plating and Aluminum/nickel-plated steel bimetal was prepared by compound casting. After liquid aluminum was casted on the surface of the nickel-plated steel, it was placed in a heat preservation device and temperature set at 760 °C. In the compound casting process of molten aluminum and nickel-plated steel, good metallurgical bonding is formed between aluminum and steel by means of diffusion. Subsequently, the microstructure of the aluminum/nickel-plated steel bimetal was examined using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) techniques. The phase composition of the intermediate layer was analyzed by x-ray diffraction (XRD). Further, the bonding properties and fracture mechanism of the intermediate layer were analyzed by measuring the corresponding Vickers microhardness and shear strength. The results show that the intermediate layer is divided into two layers. In addition, intermetallic compounds appear in the intermediate layer; Al _5 Fe _2 , near the steel side, and Al _8 Fe _2 Si, near the aluminum side. The main phases in the intermediate layer are α -Al, α -Fe, Al _5 Fe _2 , Al _5 FeSi and Al _8 Fe _2 Si. The microhardness of the intermediate layer of the aluminum/steel bimetal is higher than that of both the aluminum matrix and steel matrix. It is observed that the thickness of the intermediate layer of the aluminum/nickel-plated steel bimetal increases with the increase of the holding time. When the holding time was 15 min, the intermediate layer of the aluminum/nickel-plated steel bimetal exhibits the highest shear strength, i.e. 13.4 MPa. The fracture of the aluminum/steel bimetal is a brittle fracture, and starts from the intermediate layer. The results show that nickel plating on steel substrate can obviously improve the casting properties of an aluminum/steel bimetal.

Published in Materials Research Express

ISSN: 2053-1591 (Online)
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Technology: Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering: Materials of engineering and construction. Mechanics of materials; Technology: Chemical technology
Website: https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/2053-1591

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