The Effect of Melt Ultrasound Treatment on the Microstructure and Age Hardenability of Al-4 Wt Pct Cu/TiC Composite
- SRM Institute of Science and Technology, SRM Research Institute (India)
- Indian Institute of Technology, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (India)
- PSG Institute of Advanced Studies, Structural Nanomaterials Lab (India)
- SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering (India)
In the present work, Al-4 wt pct Cu/TiC composite was synthesized by the molten salt route that contains submicron-sized TiC particles in the Al-4 wt pct Cu matrix. The concentration of the TiC particle in the base alloy is 7.5 wt pct. Melt ultrasound treatment was done by remelting the as-cast composite at 1023 K (750 °C) in a view to refine the size of TiC particles to nanoscale and distribute them evenly in the matrix. The microstructure and age hardenability of the untreated and ultrasound-treated composites were investigated. The TiC particles accelerate the precipitation kinetics of CuAl{sub 2} phase in Al-4 wt pct Cu alloy. In the present study, the hardness obtained for untreated Al-4 wt pct Cu/TiC composite is 120 VHN within 5 hours of peak aging time, which is higher than the hardness of the monolithic Al-4 wt pct Cu, which is 104 VHN at 35 hours of peak aging time. Melt ultrasound treatment of Al-4 wt pct Cu/TiC composite shows no significant effect on the distribution and refinement of TiC particles in the matrix. However, it partially disintegrates the TiC into Al{sub 3}Ti and Al{sub 4}C{sub 3} particles. The ultrasound-treated composite showed an improved hardness of about 132 VHN at 5 hours of peak aging, in comparison to that of the untreated composite, by forming denser and homogeneous CuAl{sub 2} precipitates.
- OSTI ID:
- 22933424
- Journal Information:
- Metallurgical and Materials Transactions. B, Process Metallurgy and Materials Processing Science, Journal Name: Metallurgical and Materials Transactions. B, Process Metallurgy and Materials Processing Science Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 50; ISSN 1073-5615; ISSN MTBSEO
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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