MELTING PRACTICE, CASTING

DEFECTS AND THEIR REMEDIES IN

ALUMINUM ALLOYS
Prof. Dr. ASHOK SHARMA

Department of Metallurgical and Materials

Engineering
MNIT Jaipur

INTRODUCTION
TYPES OF ALUMINIUM ALLOYS-

Aluminium-Copper alloys
Aluminium-Copper-Silicon alloys
Aluminium-Silicon alloys
Aluminium-Magnesium alloys
Aluminium-Zinc-Magnesium alloys
Aluminium-Tin alloys

END USE OF ALUMINIUM

CASTINGS
END USE

APPROXIMATE PERCENTAGE

TRANSPORT

60-85

GENERAL ENGINEERING

5-15

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

5-15

BUILDING&CONSTRUCTION

3-12

DOMESTIC AND OFFICE EQUIPMENT 5-13

2. PHASE DIAGRAM &

MICROSTRUCTURES OF Al-Si CASTINGS

Figure 1: Aluminium Silicon

phase Diagram and
Microstructure

ELEMENT EFFECT OF ELEMENTS

S
Si

Excellent castability, good fluidity, resistance to hot cracking, low

thermal expansion

Mg

Strength (due to precipitation hardening)

Cu

Strength (due to precipitation hardening)

Ni

Elevated temperature properties, low coefficient of thermal

expansion

Fe

Impurity

Ti

Grain refinement

Grain refinement

Na, Sr

Modification

Crystal refinement

DENDRITIC STRUCTURE

Figure 2: Schematic
Representation of a Dendrite

Besides dendrites at the

eutectic temperature all of
the remaining liquid will
freeze as an aluminiumsilicon eutectic in simple
binary alloys. However,
various other intermetallic
phase such as CuAl2, Mg2Si
will form at lower
temperatures in commercial
alloys depending on the
actual alloy composition

In practice, cooling below

the equilibrium freezing
point is required in order
to nucleate the the first
dendrites.
As
these
Figure 3: Thermal Analysis Trace of Solidifying Aluminiumdendrites grow, heat is
Silicon Alloy
liberated
and
the
temperature will rise.

FOUNDRY MELT TREATMENT

SEQUENCES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Melting and alloying

Flux treatment
Grain refinements
Strontium modification
Inert degassing
Casting

MELT TREATMENTS
The properties of Al-Si casting alloys can be improved by
applying one or more molten metal treatments, these common
treatment process used are:

Grain refinement
Eutectic modification
Primary Si refinement.

GRAIN REFINEMENTS
The addition of grain refiners, usually the master alloys containing potent
nucleant particles, promotes formation of a fine equiaxed macrostructure by
deliberately suppressing the growth of columnar and twin columnar grains.
Hypoeutectic alloys have a large proportion of primary
aluminium in their microstructure. Casting quality can be
improved by grain refinement, which reduces the size of the
primary aluminium grains.

BENEFITS OF GRAIN
REFINEMENT
Improved feeding during solidification;

Reduced and more evenly distributed shrinkage porosity;

Improved mechanical properties;

Better dispersion of second phases and impurities;

Reduced solution times for heat treatable alloys;

Improved surface finish;

Reduced hot tearing.

Commercial Master Alloy Grain Refiners

There are three main groups of commercial grain refiners;Al-Ti, AlTi-B and Al-Ti-C .

Al-Ti master alloy grain refiner

It is believed that the intermetallic particles present in the master
alloys are responsible for their grain refining tendency. In the case
of binary Al-Ti master alloys, the TiAl3, particles present in the
master alloy are believed to act as heterogeneous nucleating sites
for aluminium.
Al-Ti-B master alloy grain refiners
The grain refiner most commonly used in foundry is Al-5Ti-1B.

Macrostruct(a)ure of Al without adding graand with in refiner

Macrostructure of pure Al without and with adding grain refiner
ture of pure Al without adding grain refiner

: Microstructure of As-cast Primary

Aluminium Grains (200 x)

Microstructure of Primary Aluminium

Grains Refined
with 5/1 AlTiB Master Alloy
(200 x)

GRAIN REFINEMENT

ALLOYS

Hypoeutectic and eutectic

PURPOSE

Refine primary aluminium grain size

BENEFITS

Improved mechanical properties, mould filling and heat

treatment

METHODS

AlTiB master alloys

AlTi master alloys
AlTiC master alloys

EUTECTIC MODIFICATIONS
Strontium (Sr) is used as an alternative of sodium (Na) as a modifier. One important feature of Sr is that it
has low oxidation sensitivity and its use leads to the elimination two major problems associated with sodium
modification, viz fume generation and control of the amount of addition. These have lead towards a growing
importance of Sr as a strong modifier.
For optimum results the sodium addition should be done just a few minutes before pouring the metal into the
mould. Strontium (Sr) is used as an alternative of sodium (Na) as a modifier. One important feature of Sr is
that it has low oxidation sensitivity and its use leads to the elimination two major problems associated with
sodium modification, viz fume generation and control of the amount of addition. These have lead towards a
growing importance of Sr as a strong modifier.

Microstructure of As-cast Eutectic Phase (200 X)

Microstructure of AlSr Modified Eutectic Phase (200 X)

a)

c)

b)

d)

Optical micrographs of Al-12%Si-0.3%Mg alloy

a) As Cast
b) Grain refined
c) Grain refined at higher modification
d) Grain refined and modified at higher magnification

MODIFICATION

ALLOYS

Hypoeutectic and eutectic

PURPOSE

Modify eutectic Si

BENEFITS

Improved mechanical properties

METHODS

SrAl master alloys (3.5-90% Sr)

Na metal
Na containing salts

Silicon refining materials

Copper phosphorous (Cu-P), nickel phosphorous (NiP) and
phosphorous (P) containing salts, e.g. PCl5 or red P, or Al-Cu-P master
alloy. These materials are effective primary Si refiners. However some
problems do exist:
Contamination of refractories;
Low P recovery;

Environmental problems;

High holding temperatures;

Long contact times.

Microstructure Showing
Large Primary Si Grains (200
X

Microstructure of Primary Si
Grains Refined with CuP (200
X)

Optical Micrographs of Al-18%Si-0.3%Mg alloy

As Cast

Silicon Refined by
P

Primary Silicon
Refinement
ALLOYS

Hypereutectic

PURPOSE

Reduce size of primary Si crystals

BENEFITS

Improved mechanical properties and

machinability

METHODS

CuP master alloys

NiP master alloys
Al-Cu-P alloy
P containing fluxes

Hydrogen Bubbles in the Melt

Hydrogen
bubbles

HYDROGEN POROSITY
The only gas that is
appreciably soluble in
Aluminium.
The gas is more soluble
when the metal is in
molten state

THANK YOU