New high-strength casting aluminum alloy based on the Al–Zn–Mg–Ca–Fe system without requirement for heat treatment

Abstract

The paper substantiates the composition and prospects of using high strength Al–Zn–Mg–Ca–Fe casting aluminum alloy without heat treatment based on the study on the structure, technological and mechanical properties. Alloys of the base composition Al–5.5%Zn–1.5%Mg (wt.%) jointly and separately doped with 0.5–1.0 % Ca and 0.5 % Fe were obtained as the objects of research. Standard casting alloys according to GOST 1583-93: AK12M2, AMg6lch, AM4,5Kd were the objects of comparison. A hot tensile test using a cast test bar was conducted to check the tendency to form hot cracks due to hindered contraction. It was shown that separate alloying with calcium and iron does not contribute to the improvement of crack resistance and adversely affects mechanical properties. Combined alloying with 1 % Ca and 0.5 % Fe improves the hot tearing resistance to the level of the AMg6lch alloy properties. This effect is due to calcium-containing phases of eutectic origin formed and a favorable grain structure created that is free from columnar grains. Iron in the alloy structure is bound in compact Al10CaFe2 phase particles as a result of the non-equilibrium crystallization during permanent mold casting. The formation of this phase allowed to reduce the amount of zinc in the (Al, Zn)4Ca phase and mostly retain the (Al) solid solution composition as evidenced by similar hardness values of the Al–5.5%Zn–1.5%Mg base alloy and Al–5.5%Zn–1.5%Mg–1%Ca–0.5%Fe alloy, and the superiority of the values over the hardness of alloys separately alloyed with calcium and iron. Also the cast hardness of the promising alloy more than 20 HV higher than the cast hardness of commercial cast alloys. The new alloy in the as-cast condition exhibited competitive mechanical tensile properties: UTS ~ 310 MPa, YS ~ 210 MPa, El ~ 4 %.