Solidification microstructure, mechanical and wear resitances of Al-Sn and Al-Si alloys

Author(s)

Kleber Augustin Sabat da Cruz

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica
• Defense date: 2008-08-09

Examining board members

Amauri Garcia; Maria Clara Filippini Ierardi; Cecília Amélia de Carvalho Zavaglia; Carlos de Moura Neto; Luiz Carlos Casteletti

• Advisor: Amauri Garcia

Abstract

The search for relationships between microstructural parameters and mechanical behavior of alloys is fundamental for the pre-programming of final properties of as-cast components. The present study aims to contribute to the understanding about the influence of microstructural parameters on the wear resistance and mechanical properties of alloys of two binary systems: Al-Sn and AI-Si. Such alloys are widely used in engineering applications, especially as bearing components such as journal bearings and cylinder liners, respectively. Despite the wide use of Al-Sn alloys as bearing materiaIs studies on the microstructural development of such alloys are rare.. In the present study, four Al-Sn and three AI-Si hypoeutectic alloys were directionally solidified under upward unsteady state heat flow conditions. The primary (1,,1) and secondary (Â.2) dendrite arm spacings were measured along the castings length and correlated with transient solidification thermal variables. A combined theoretical and experimental approach has been used to quantitatively determine such thermal variables, i.e., transient metaVmold heat transfer coefficients, tip growth rates, thermal gradients, tip cooling rates and local solidifÍcation time. This study also focuses on the dependence of dendrite arm spacings on the alloy solute content. Furthermore, the experimental data conceming the solidification of AI -Sn alloys are compared with the main predictive dendritic models from the literature. The mechanical behaviors ofthe AI-Sn and AlSi alloys were analyzed by wear and tensile tests. Micro-abrasive wear tests under dry sliding conditions and by using a fixed rotating sphere were applied to transversal samples collected along the casting. The dry condition is adopted to prevent effects of interfacial elements such as abrasive slurry or lubricant oil on the microstructural response during the tests. The wear volume was used to evaluate the wear resistance. Afterwards, equations correlating the wear volume and the dendritic arm spacing have been proposed taking into account the influence of time (sliding distance). (AU)