Effect of Cooling Rate on the Precipitation Characteristics of Cast Al-Si-Cu Alloy

The influence of the cooling rate on the extent of precipitation hardening of cast aluminum alloy (ADC12) was investigated experimentally. This study explored the cooling rate of the solidification of Cu in the α-Al phase to improve the mechanical properties of ADC12 after an aging process (Cu based precipitation hardening). The solid solution of Cu occurred in the α-Al phases during the casting process at cooling rates exceeding 0.03°C/s. This process was replaced with a solid solution process of T6 treatments. The extent of the solid solution varied depending on the cooling rate; with a higher cooling rate, a more extensive solid solution was formed. For the cast ADC12 alloy made at a high cooling rate, high precipitation hardening occurred after low-temperature heating (at 175°C for 20 h), which improved the mechanical properties of the cast Al alloys. However, the low-temperature heating at the higher temperature for a longer time decreased the hardness due to over aging.