Microstructure Evolution and Solidification Behavior of a Novel Semi-Solid Alloy Slurry Prepared by Vibrating Contraction Inclined Plate

Abstract

In this work, based on the A356 alloy, a novel Al–Si–Mg–Cu–Fe–Sr alloy with good mechanical property and high thermal conductivity was developed. The semi-solid slurry of the alloy was prepared via the vibrating contraction inclined plate. The microstructure evolution and solidification behavior of the alloy were investigated. The results demonstrated that, compared with the A356 alloy, the enhanced property of the Al–Si–Mg–Cu–Fe–Sr alloy was associated with the size of primary α-Al grains and morphology of eutectic Si phases. In addition, the preparation process parameters of semi-solid slurries, including the pouring temperature, inclination angle, and vibration frequency, had a crucial effect on the size and morphology of primary α-Al grains. The optimized pouring temperature, inclination angle, and vibration frequency were 670 °C, 45°, and 60 Hz, respectively. In this condition, for the primary α-Al grains, a minimum grain diameter of 64.31 µm and a maximum shape factor of 0.80 were obtained. This work provides a reference for the application of the alloy with high performance in the field of automobile and communication.

Keywords

• semi-solid aluminum alloy
• process parameter
• solidification behavior
• grain size
• microstructure