Modification of Si morphology in the microstructure of recycled Al alloys by spray forming

• Grant number: 23/13975-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Physical Metallurgy
• Principal Investigator: Lucas Barcelos Otani
• Grantee: Vanessa Beatriz de Abreu
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/06084-9 - Modification of Si morphology in the microstructure of recycled Al alloys by spray forming and by the Electric Resistance Sintering (ERS) process, BE.EP.IC

Abstract

Aluminum alloys processed by conventional casting typically contain alloying elements such as silicon, copper, and magnesium. Silicon ensures good flowability, while copper and magnesium provide the potential for enhancing material strength through subsequent heat treatments. Spray forming applied to these alloys has been employed with a focus on recycling, as one of the major issues that can arise during this process is the incorporation of impurity atoms that can significantly compromise mechanical properties. This process can lead not only to a modification of the present phases but also a change in the morphology of the phases into less detrimental geometries to mechanical properties. An aspect not yet addressed in the literature is the modification of silicon morphology, with the potential addition of phosphorus, a primary Si modifier. Therefore, the objective of this project is to investigate the effect of phosphorus on the microstructure of a spray formed Al 319 alloy, in addition to determining the key parameters for heat treatment by studying hardness curves for various artificial aging conditions. It is worth mentioning that computational thermodynamic tools will be utilized in this project to assist in determining the heat treatment temperatures.