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Microstructure and tensile properties of A356 alloy with different Sc/Zr additions

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Abstract

Addition of rare earth elements for improving the tensile properties of aluminum alloys has attracted great attention. In this study, a systematic analysis on the microstructure and tensile properties of A356–0.13Ti alloys with different contents of scandium (Sc) and scandium/zirconium (Sc/Zr) after solution and aging treatment process was carried out. The addition of Sc/Zr into A356–0.13Ti alloys can greatly refine the grain size and modify the deleterious coarse eutectic Si structure and harmful acicular iron-containing phase morphology. As a result, the maximum value of strength (298 MPa) and ductility (elongation of 8.4%) are acquired by co-addition of Sc/Zr after solution and aging treatment process, which indicates that the tensile properties of A356 alloy are greatly enhanced by the synergistic effect of co-addition of Sc/Zr.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51422104, 51472177 and 51531004), the Foundation for the Author of National Excellent Doctoral Dissertation of China (No. 201145) and the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (No. NCET-12-0408).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composites and Functional Materials, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China

    Shou-Peng Xu, Chun-Sheng Shi, Nai-Qin Zhao & Chun-Nian He

  2. Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, 300072, China

    Nai-Qin Zhao & Chun-Nian He

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  1. Shou-Peng Xu
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  2. Chun-Sheng Shi
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  3. Nai-Qin Zhao
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  4. Chun-Nian He
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Correspondence to Chun-Nian He.

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Xu, SP., Shi, CS., Zhao, NQ. et al. Microstructure and tensile properties of A356 alloy with different Sc/Zr additions. Rare Met. 40, 2514–2522 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-020-01529-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-020-01529-8

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