Publication Date: 2024/02/22
Abstract: Aluminium-silicon (Al-Si) alloys have become the preferred choice for modern automobile engines, replacing conventional cast iron materials. This transition has resulted in significant improvements in both fuel efficiency and reduced vehicle emissions. The superior performance of Al-Si alloys can be attributed to their unique microstructure, characterized by primary silicon crystals with diverse shapes such as polygons, plates, and feathery structures, along with the presence of an eutectic phase (α -Al + eutectic silicon). The distribution of these microstructures can vary depending on factors like pouring temperature and the addition of other compounds like alumina, which further enhance the mechanical and tribological properties. For instance, alloys with 16% silicon and 4% alumina (Al-16Si- 4% Al2O3) exhibit improved hardness and wear resistance compared to their conventional counterparts. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis has revealed the presence of SiO2, Al2O3, and Al-rich intermetallic compounds while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images demonstrate the modification of primary silicon structures (feathery, star, and plate-like shapes) and eutectic silicon structures (coarse acicular and flake-like shapes) due to the addition of alumina content. Notably, the brittle phase formation Al2O3, SiO2, , and Al-rich intermetallic compounds contribute to enhanced mechanical and tribological properties. Experimental studies conducted in this field have demonstrated that increasing the alumina content leads to higher hardness values, and wear tests conducted under varying loads and speeds have shown improved wear resistance with increasing alumina content.
Keywords: Al-Rich Intermetallic Compound; Tribological Properties Al-Si- Al2O3 alloy Al-16Si- 4%Al2O3.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10693156
PDF: https://ijirst.demo4.arinfotech.co/assets/upload/files/IJISRT24FEB645.pdf
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