Investigating the microstructure and strength properties of 500 series aluminum casting alloy modified with rare earth element erbium

مهندسی متالورژی و مواد

Volume 34, Issue 2 - Serial Number 30, July 2023, Pages 87-96   

Document Type: Original Articles

DOI: 10.22067/jmme.2023.81595.1106

Author

Mohammad Alipour^*

Faculty of Mechanical engineering, Department of Materials Engineering, University of Tabriz, Iran

Abstract

The effects of rare earth Er additions on the microstructure and tensile properties of cast Al–3Mg–2.5Cu aluminum alloy have been investigated. The results show that by adding 1 wt.% Er grain refiner in the aluminum cast alloy, the grains can be refined to a fine degree. The microstructures and fracture surfaces of cast aluminum alloy samples were examined by scaning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, the rare earth Er modified the eutectic structure from a coarse plate-like and acicular structure to a fine branched and fibrous one. The tensile properties were improved by the addition of rare earth Er, and good ultimate tensile strength (310 MPa) was obtained when the rare earth Er addition was 1 wt.%. Furthermore, fractographic examinations revealed that refined pore and spheroidized α-Al dendrite were responsible for the high ultimate tensile strength. Adding of 1 wt.% rare earth Er make about 38% enhancement in tensile strength compared to that of unreinforced aluminum alloy.

Keywords

Rare earth materials; Mechanical Properties; Microstructure

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