The effect of the T6 heat treatment on hardness and microstructure of the en AC-AlSi12CuNiMg alloy

• Main Author: J. Pezda
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Croatian Metallurgical Society 2014-01-01
• Series: Metalurgija
• Subjects: aluminum alloys; modification; thermal analysis; heat treatment; hardness
• Online Access: http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/153471

Presented work discusses research results concerning the effect of the T6 heat treatment process, including soaking of the alloy near the solidus temperature, holding in this temperature and next cooling in cold water (20 oC), as well as exposing to the artificial ageing to check the change in HB hardness and microstructure of the EN AC-AlSi12Cu-NiMg (EN AC-48000) alloy modified with strontium and cast into metal moulds. The temperature range of solutioning and ageing treatments was selected on the basis of crystallization curves recorded with the use of thermal-derivative method. Performed investigations enabled to determine the optimal parameters (temperature and time) of solutioning and ageing heat treatments and their effect on the change in alloy’s hardness.