Revealing the effect of iron content on the microstructure evolution, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the A356-T6 aluminum alloys

Recently, the A356 alloy has been widely used in various fields owing to its low cost, excellent mechanical properties, and formability. However, the existence of Fe can significantly affect the comprehensive properties of A356 alloys. The present study systematically investigated the effects of dif...

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Main Authors: Yongquan Liu, Meng Wang, Yang Cao, Jiajing Peng, Dongyang Yang, Dongfu Song, Bright O. Okonkwo, Jianqiu Wang, Enhou Han
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-11-01
Series:Journal of Materials Research and Technology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785424022385
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author Yongquan Liu
Meng Wang
Yang Cao
Jiajing Peng
Dongyang Yang
Dongfu Song
Bright O. Okonkwo
Jianqiu Wang
Enhou Han
author_facet Yongquan Liu
Meng Wang
Yang Cao
Jiajing Peng
Dongyang Yang
Dongfu Song
Bright O. Okonkwo
Jianqiu Wang
Enhou Han
author_sort Yongquan Liu
collection DOAJ
description Recently, the A356 alloy has been widely used in various fields owing to its low cost, excellent mechanical properties, and formability. However, the existence of Fe can significantly affect the comprehensive properties of A356 alloys. The present study systematically investigated the effects of different Fe contents on the microstructures, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance of recycled A356-T6 alloys using different characterization technologies, including optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron probe X-ray micro-analysis (EPMA), tensile tests, and electrochemical tests. The results suggest that the volume fraction of the Fe-rich particles gradually increases with increasing Fe content, and their morphologies display a transformation from granular and short rod-like to acicular and Chinese-script. While the ultimate tensile strength of the A356-T6 alloys with different Fe contents remained relatively stable, their yield strengths gradually increased. Meanwhile, the elongation experiences a stepwise drop owing to the increase in the number fraction of brittle needle-shaped β-Al5FeSi (β-Fe) phases. Moreover, the results of the electrochemical tests suggest that a dramatic decline in the corrosion potential and an increase in the self-corrosion current density occurred with an increase in the Fe content, resulting in a considerable deterioration of the corrosion resistance.
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spelling doaj-art-c9a23b92abe24530a6f00fffd88538c72024-12-26T08:54:10ZengElsevierJournal of Materials Research and Technology2238-78542024-11-013322632274Revealing the effect of iron content on the microstructure evolution, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the A356-T6 aluminum alloysYongquan Liu0Meng Wang1Yang Cao2Jiajing Peng3Dongyang Yang4Dongfu Song5Bright O. Okonkwo6Jianqiu Wang7Enhou Han8Institute of Corrosion Science and Technology, Corrosion-resistant Center for Light Metal, Guangdong, 510070, PR ChinaInstitute of Corrosion Science and Technology, Corrosion-resistant Center for Light Metal, Guangdong, 510070, PR China; Corresponding author. Institute of Corrosion Science and Technology, Corrosion-resistant Center for Light Metal, Guangdong, 510070, PR China.Institute of Corrosion Science and Technology, Corrosion-resistant Center for Light Metal, Guangdong, 510070, PR ChinaInstitute of Corrosion Science and Technology, Corrosion-resistant Center for Light Metal, Guangdong, 510070, PR ChinaGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Metal Toughening Technology and Application, Institute of New Materials, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, PR China; National Engineering Research Center of Near-net-shape Forming for Metallic Materials, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510641, PR ChinaGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Metal Toughening Technology and Application, Institute of New Materials, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, PR China; National Engineering Research Center of Near-net-shape Forming for Metallic Materials, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510641, PR China; Corresponding author. Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Metal Toughening Technology and Application, Institute of New Materials, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, PR China.Institute of Corrosion Science and Technology, Corrosion-resistant Center for Light Metal, Guangdong, 510070, PR ChinaInstitute of Corrosion Science and Technology, Corrosion-resistant Center for Light Metal, Guangdong, 510070, PR China; Corresponding author. Institute of Corrosion Science and Technology, Corrosion-resistant Center for Light Metal, Guangdong, 510070, PR China.Institute of Corrosion Science and Technology, Corrosion-resistant Center for Light Metal, Guangdong, 510070, PR ChinaRecently, the A356 alloy has been widely used in various fields owing to its low cost, excellent mechanical properties, and formability. However, the existence of Fe can significantly affect the comprehensive properties of A356 alloys. The present study systematically investigated the effects of different Fe contents on the microstructures, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance of recycled A356-T6 alloys using different characterization technologies, including optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron probe X-ray micro-analysis (EPMA), tensile tests, and electrochemical tests. The results suggest that the volume fraction of the Fe-rich particles gradually increases with increasing Fe content, and their morphologies display a transformation from granular and short rod-like to acicular and Chinese-script. While the ultimate tensile strength of the A356-T6 alloys with different Fe contents remained relatively stable, their yield strengths gradually increased. Meanwhile, the elongation experiences a stepwise drop owing to the increase in the number fraction of brittle needle-shaped β-Al5FeSi (β-Fe) phases. Moreover, the results of the electrochemical tests suggest that a dramatic decline in the corrosion potential and an increase in the self-corrosion current density occurred with an increase in the Fe content, resulting in a considerable deterioration of the corrosion resistance.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785424022385A356 alloysFe contentMicrostructure evolutionMechanical propertiesCorrosion resistance
spellingShingle Yongquan Liu
Meng Wang
Yang Cao
Jiajing Peng
Dongyang Yang
Dongfu Song
Bright O. Okonkwo
Jianqiu Wang
Enhou Han
Revealing the effect of iron content on the microstructure evolution, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the A356-T6 aluminum alloys
Journal of Materials Research and Technology
A356 alloys
Fe content
Microstructure evolution
Mechanical properties
Corrosion resistance
title Revealing the effect of iron content on the microstructure evolution, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the A356-T6 aluminum alloys
title_full Revealing the effect of iron content on the microstructure evolution, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the A356-T6 aluminum alloys
title_fullStr Revealing the effect of iron content on the microstructure evolution, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the A356-T6 aluminum alloys
title_full_unstemmed Revealing the effect of iron content on the microstructure evolution, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the A356-T6 aluminum alloys
title_short Revealing the effect of iron content on the microstructure evolution, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the A356-T6 aluminum alloys
title_sort revealing the effect of iron content on the microstructure evolution mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the a356 t6 aluminum alloys
topic A356 alloys
Fe content
Microstructure evolution
Mechanical properties
Corrosion resistance
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785424022385
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