Effects of the Non-equilibrium Heat-treatment on Modification of Microstructures of Al-Si-Cu Cast Alloy

비평형 열처리에 의한 주조용 Al-Si-Cu합금 조직의 개량 효과

Addition of Ca element and nonequilibrium heat treatment which promotes shape modification of eutectic Si and ${\beta}$ intermetallic compound were conducted to improve the mechanical properties of Al-Si-Cu alloy. Modification of eutectic Si and dissolution of needle-shape ${\beta}$ intermetallic compounds were possible by nonequilibrium heat treatment in which specimens were held at $505^{\circ}C$ for 2 hours in Al-Si-Cu alloy with Fe. Owing to the decrease in aspect ratio of eutectic Si by the heat treatment of the alloy with 0.33wt.% Fe, the increase in elongation was prominent to be more than double that in the as-cast specimen. Dissolution of needle-shape ${\beta}$ intermetallic compounds in the alloy with 0.85wt.% Fe led to the improvement of tensile strength as the length of ${\beta}$ compounds decreased to 50%.