| 1. |
- Ghasemi, Rohollah, 1983-
(author)
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Tribological and Mechanical Behaviour of Lamellar and Compacted Graphite Irons in Engine Applications
- 2015
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- There has been much discussion about the beneficial uses of lamellar graphite iron in piston rings–cylinder liner systems, where a good combinations of both thermal and tribological properties are essential. The excellent tribological performance of lamellar iron under such sliding conditions is principally associated with lubrication behaviour of the graphite particles which are distributed as lamellas throughout the matrix. During sliding, graphite particles are extruded and smeared onto the counterfaces, act as solid lubricating agents and form a thin graphite film between the sliding surfaces. Although this process especially, during the running-in period significantly changes the sliding wear response of the components, the exact mechanism behind of this phenomenon has rarely been discussed in previous studies.It is tribologically beneficial to keep the graphite open, particularly in applications where the scuffing issues do matter. In this thesis, the main causes involved in closing the graphite lamellas are discussed, with a focus on matrix plastic deformation that occurs during sliding. In first step, the relationship between graphite lamellae orientation and plastic deformation was investigated. To do so, two piston rings, belonging to the same two-stroke marine engine operated for different periods of time, were selected and compared to the unworn sample. The worn piston rings displayed a substantial decrease in both frequency and area fraction of the graphite lamellas. Most of the lamellas were closed as a result of plastic deformation of matrix. This happening was caused mainly by the interaction between abrasive particles and metallic matrix. Additionally, it was found that graphite lamellas parallel or near-parallel to the sliding direction exhibited maximum closing tendency under sliding condition.In next step, to have a better understanding of the graphite film formation mechanism and matrix deformation role in closing the graphite lamellas, microindentation and microscratch testing were performed on typical lamellar iron. The qualitative results showed a similar mechanism involving in graphite contribution to lubricate the sliding surfaces. Moreover, microindentations made nearby the graphite lamellas demonstrated that the deformation of the matrix causes the formation of cracks in the centre of the graphite lamellas, compressing and then extruding the graphite from its natural position, irrespective of the lamellas′ size. Furthermore, it was found that subsurface graphite orientation had a large influence on the extrusion behaviour, in that, for graphite lamellas oriented towards the indenter, the effect was observed more pronounced.Furthermore, an improved fully ferritic solution strengthened compacted graphite iron was produced for future wear studies. The effects of different Si levels and section thicknesses on tensile properties and hardness were investigated as well. The influence of Si content and section thickness on mechanical properties was revealed by improving the materials strength and slightly enhancing the hardness through increasing Si content. Besides, Si addition up to 4.5 wt% significantly affected the strength and elongation to failure of cast samples.
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| 2. |
- Bjurenstedt, Anton, 1979-
(author)
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On the influence of imperfections on microstructure and properties of recycled Al-Si casting alloys
- 2017
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- There are great energy savings to be made by recycling aluminium; as little as 5% of the energy needed for primary aluminium production may be required. Striving to produce high quality aluminium castings requires knowledge of microstructural imperfections, which is extra important when casting recycled aluminium that generally contains higher levels of imperfections compared to primary aluminium. Imperfections include amongst others Si, Fe, and Mn as well as oxides. Si is needed for castability, but it may also initiate fracture. There are different types of Fe-rich intermetallics influencing properties of castings, generally in a negative direction. Oxides constitute cracks and they are elusive because they are difficult to quantify.This thesis aims to increase knowledge about imperfections in recycled aluminium castings originating from alloying elements and the melt. Experiments were performed in advanced laboratory equipment, including X-radiographic imaging during solidification and in-situ tensile testing in a scanning electron microscope. Experiments were also performed at industrial foundry facilities.The experiments showed that the nucleation temperature of primary α-Fe intermetallics increased with higher Fe, Mn, and Cr contents. Primary α-Fe are strongly suggested to nucleate on oxides and to grow in four basic morphologies. Lower nucleation frequency of α-Fe promoted faster growth and hopper crystals while higher nucleation frequency promoted slower growth rates and massive crystals. Results also showed that a decrease in the size of the eutectic Si and plate-like β-Fe intermetallics improved tensile properties, foremost the elongation to fracture. In β-Fe containing alloys the transversely oriented intermetallics initiated macrocracks that are potential fracture initiation sites. In alloys with primary α-Fe foremost clusters of intermetallics promoted macrocracks. In fatigue testing, a transition from β-Fe to α-Fe shifted the initiation sites from oxides and pores to the α-Fe, resulting in a decrease of fatigue strength. Oxides in Al-Si alloys continue to be elusive; no correlations between efforts to quantify the oxides and tensile properties could be observed.
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| 3. |
- Bogdanoff, Toni
(author)
-
The effect of microstructural features, defects and surface quality on the fatigue performance in Al-Si-Mg Cast alloys
- 2023
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Global warming is driving industry to manufacture lighter components to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Promising candidates for achieving this are aluminium-silicon (Al-Si) cast alloys, which offer a high weight-to-strength ratio, excellent corrosion resistance, and good castability. However, understanding variations in the mechanical properties of these alloys is crucial to producing high-performance parts for critical applications. Defects and oxides are the primary reasons cast components in fatigue applications are rejected, as they negatively impact mechanical properties.A comprehensive understanding of the correlation between fatigue performance and parameters such as the α-aluminium matrix, Al-Si eutectic, surface roughness, porosities, hydrogen content, oxides, and intermetallic phases in Al-Si castings has not been reached.The research presented in this thesis used state-of-the-art experimental techniques to investigate the mechanical properties and crack-initiation and propagation behaviour of Al-Si-Mg cast alloy under cyclic loading. In-situ cyclic testing was conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD), digital image correlation (DIC), and focused ion beam (FIB) milling. These techniques enabled a comprehensive study of parameters affecting fatigue performance, including hydrogen content, surface roughness, oxides, and intermetallic phases. More specifically, we investigated the effect of melt quality, copper (Cu) content, oxide bifilms, surface quality, and porosity.The increased Cu concentration in heat-treated Al-Si alloys increased the amount of intermetallic phases, which affected the cracking behaviour. Furthermore, oxide bifilms were detected at crack-initiation sites, even in regions far away from the highly strained areas. Si- and Iron (Fe)-rich intermetallics were observed to have precipitated on these bifilms. Due to their very small size, these oxides are generally not detected by non-destructive inspections, but affect mechanical properties because they appear to open at relatively low tensile stresses. Finally, Al-Si alloy casting skins showed an interesting effect in terms of improving fatigue performance, highlighting the negative effect of surface polishing for such alloys.
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| 4. |
- Bogdanoff, Toni
(author)
-
The influence of microstructure on the crack initiation and propagation in Al-Si casting alloys
- 2021
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- For reducing the CO2 footprint in many industrial fields, the goal is to produce lighter components. The aluminium-silicon (Al-Si) cast alloys are promising candidates to fulfill these goals with a high weight-to-strength ratio, good corrosion properties, excellent castability, and recyclable material. However, the variations within these components need to be understood to produce high-performance components for critical applications. The main reason for the rejection in these applications is defects and microstructural features that reduce the mechanical properties. The addition of copper (Cu) is one way of increasing the mechanical properties in Al-Si alloys and is commonly used in the automotive industry. Casting defects harm the mechanical properties, and these defects can be reduced by improving the melt quality, the correct design of the component, and the gating system.The study aims to investigate the static mechanical properties and the crack initiation and propagation under cyclic loading in an Al-7Si-Mg cast alloy with state-of-the-art experiments. The main focuses were on the effect of the HIP process and the role of Cu addition. In-situ cyclic testing using a scanning electron microscope coupled with electron back-scattered diffraction, digital image correlation, focused ion beam (FIB) slicing, and computed tomography scanning was used to evaluate the complex interaction between the crack path and the microstructural features.The amount of Cu retained in the α-Al matrix in as-cast and heat-treated conditions significantly influenced the static mechanical properties by increasing yield strength and ultimate tensile strength with a decrease in elongation. The three-nearest-neighbor distance of eutectic Si and Cu-rich particles and crack tortuosity were new tools to describe the crack propagation in the alloys, showing that a reduced distance between the Cu-rich phases is detrimental for the mechanical properties. Three dimensional tomography using a FIB revealed that the alloy with 3.2 wt.% Cu had a significantly increased quantity of cracked Si particles and intermetallic phases ahead of the crack tip than the Cu-free alloy. The effect of Cu and HIP process in this work shows the complex interaction between the microstructural features and the mechanical properties, and this needs to be considered to produce high-performance components.
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| 5. |
- Zhang, Qing
(author)
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Mechanical properties of semi-solid Al castings : Role of stirring
- 2023
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Aluminum castings have been widely used in the automotive industry to reduce the vehicle's weight. However, the existence of casting defects significantly limits its application. The most common and detrimental defects in aluminum castings are porosity and oxides. The formation of the pores comes from the solute hydrogen and volumetric reduction during the solidification process, resulting in the gas and shrinkage pores, respectively. The oxides can be introduced by either the operation during the process or the originally existing oxides in the melt. To reduce these defects, optimizing the casting process and controlling the melt quality is essential.In this work, the Semisolid Metal (SSM) process was used as it can significantly reduce the formation of shrinkage pores. The main focuses were on the influence of stirring intensity on the formation of casting defects and, thus, the resultant mechanical properties. In addition, to control the original melt quality, particularly the amount of oxides, efforts were made to develop proper methods for the melt quality assessment.The results show that the slurry-making process, mainly through stirring intensity, can affect the casting defects significantly. On the one hand, the increasing stirring intensity can distribute the primary Al particles more homogeneously, reducing the pores in terms of size and number by increasing the permeability during the solidification process. On the other hand, the increasing stirring intensity can affect the size of oxides differently, depending on the composition, for instance, the Mg content.For the alloys with sufficient Mg, the oxides would be MgAl2O4, which are small films with numerous cracks. Under intensive stirring, the oxides can break down into small oxide particles. As a result, intensive stirring can improve ductility by reducing the formation of big pores. However, the oxides would mainly be Al2O3 films for alloys with low Mg content. In this case, the current stirring intensity is insufficient to break the oxide films. Instead, the increased stirring has introduced more oxide films into the melt. Consequently, in the casting with intensive stirring, the increasing oxide films dominated the ductility rather than the reduced porosity.The SSM castings exhibit better bending fatigue properties than the casting using the traditional high-pressure die casting (HPDC) process. This improvement is mainly due to the formation of the harder surface liquid segregation (SLS) layer on the SSM casting surface. Furthermore, compared with the standard SSM process, the castings using intensive stirring (hereinafter referred to as the modified SSM process) show similar but more reliable fatigue properties. This reliable fatigue property can be attributed to eliminating the big internal pores through intensive stirring, which results in local stress concentration and significantly reduces fatigue performance. Besides, due to the gradient stress distribution in the bending loading, the surface defects play a significant role in the fatigue properties. With the increase of the specimens’ thickness, the failure mechanisms changed.The shrinkage pores in the reduced pressure test (RPT) test play a significant role in the accuracy of melt quality assessment. A good correlation between the bifilm index (BI)/ density index (DI) and hydrogen content is observed for the RPT samples without significant shrinkage pores. In addition, the correlation between the BI and elongation is also strongly affected by the clusters of shrinkage pores due to the conflict between the definition of the BI and the influence of clusters of shrinkage pores on the ductility. Based on this, we proposed an optimized BI where the clusters of shrinkage pores were treated as single pores, increasing the reliability of the correlation between the BI and elongation.
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| 6. |
- Dini, Hoda, 1984-
(author)
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As-cast AZ91D Magnesium Alloy Properties- Effect of Microstructure and Temperature
- 2015
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Magnesium and magnesium alloys are used in a wide variety of structural applications including automotive, aerospace, hand tools and electronic industries thanks to their light weight, high specific strength, adequate corrosion resistance and good castability. Al and Zn are the primary alloying elements in commercial Mg alloys and commonly used in automotive industries. AZ91 is one of the most popular Mg alloys containing 9% Al and 1% Zn. Hence, lots of research have been done during last decades on AZ91D. However, the existing data concerning mechanical properties and microstructural features showed large scatter and is even contradictory. This work focused on the correlation between the microstructure and the mechanical properties of as-cast AZ91 alloy. An exhaustive characterization of the grain size, secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS) distribution, and fraction of Mg17Al12 using optical and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) was performed. These microstructural parameters were correlated to offset yield point (Rp0.2), fracture strength and elongation to fracture. It was understood that the intermetallic phase, Mg17Al12, plays an important role in determining the mechanical and physical properties of the alloy at temperature range from room temperature up to 190oC. It was realized that by increasing the Mg17Al12 content above 11% a network of intermetallic may form. During deformation this rigid network should break before any plastic deformation happen. Hence, increase in Mg17Al12 content resulted in an increase in offset yield point. The presence of this network was supported by study of thermal expansion behaviour of the alloy containing different amount of Mg17Al12. A physically-based model was adapted and validated in order to predict the flow stress behaviour of as-cast AZ91D at room temperature up to 190ºC for various microstructures. The model was based on dislocation glide and climb in a single-phase (matrix) material containing reinforcing particles. The temperature dependant variables of the model were quite well correlated to the underlying physics of the material.
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| 7. |
- Payandeh, Mostafa
(author)
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Rheocasting of aluminium alloys : Process and components characteristics
- 2016
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Semi-Solid Metal (SSM) casting is a promising technology offering an opportunity to manufacture net-shape, complex geometry metal components in a single operation. However, the absence of foundry guidelines and limited design data for SSM casting makes it challenging to predict the performance of both process and components. The objective of this research was to develop and offer new solutions to material processing-related issues in the electronics industry. By investigating the opportunities afforded by the recently developed RheoMetalTM rheocasting process, a better understanding of the critical factors needed for an effective manufacturing process and optimised component characteristics was achieved.A study of the evolution of microstructure at different stages of the RheoMetalTM process demonstrated the influence of multistage solidification on the microstructural characteristics of the rheocast components. The microstructure of a slurry consists of the solute-lean and coarse globular α-Al particles with a uniform distribution of alloying elements, suspended in the liquid matrix. Additional solute-rich α-Al particles were identified as being a consequence of discrete nucleation events taking place after the initial slurry production. In the final components, macrosegregation was observed in the form of variations in the ratio of solute-lean coarse globular α-Al particles and solute-rich fine α-Al particles in both longitudinal and transverse directions.The relation between microstructural characteristics and material properties was established by determination of the local properties of a rheocast component. The fracture of a rheocast telecom component was strongly affected by microstructural inhomogeneity. In particular, macrosegregation in the form of liquid surface segregation bands and sub-surface pore bands strongly affected the fracture behaviour. Thermal conductivity measurements revealed that regions of the component with a high amount of solute-lean globular α-Al particles showed higher thermal conductivity. The effect of the local variation in thermal conductivity on the thermal performance of a large rheocast heatsink was evaluated by simulation. The results clearly show the importance of considering material inhomogeneity when creating a robust component design.
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| 8. |
- Santos, Jorge
(author)
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Semi-solid Al-7Si-Mg castings – Microstructure and mechanical properties
- 2020
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The use of lightweight parts by the vehicle industry produces immediate benefits on the reduction of emissions because less energy is consumed during the production, service, and recycle stages of a product life cycle. Therefore, the development of processes that allow high design freedom for topology optimisation and materials with high specific strength is a great need. Semi-solid Al-7Si-Mg castings provide great potential for weight reduction, particularly in critical applications where materials such as steel and cast iron are typically used. However, critical applications have higher requirements in mechanical and fatigue properties compared to conventional aluminium castings applications. Therefore, the control of microstructure and defect formation in all steps of the semi-solidcasting process is essential to produce lightweight, reliable castings for future demands.In semi-solid aluminium casting, a slurry consisting of primary α-Al crystals dispersed in the liquid is injected into the die-cavity. In this study, the slurry preparation involved the immersion of a cylinder (so-called EEM) while rotating into a superheated alloy. This investigation showed that the α-Al crystals in the slurry are a combination of equiaxed α-Al crystals that nucleate in the thermal undercooled liquid surrounding the EEM, crystal fragments from the columnar dendrites solidified on the EEM surface and undissolved crystals from the original EEM. The addition of grain refiners has no significant effect on the size and shape of the α-Al crystals in the slurry. The dissolution of the EEM duringslurry preparation was studied using a new tag-and-trace method of α-Al crystals. Whenthe EEM disintegrates into large α-Al crystal agglomerates during slurry preparation can result in detrimental effects on the fatigue properties of SSM castings.Alloy composition, cooling rate, strontium modification, and heat treatment affect the type, size, and shape of the intermetallic phases formed in the Al-7Si-Mg castings. This study showed that high cooling rates and strontium modification are beneficial for the formation of smaller and less detrimental iron-rich intermetallic phases to mechanical and fatigue properties.The precipitation hardening response of the SSM Al-7Si-Mg castings strongly affects mechanical and fatigue properties. The results in this study showed that the 0.2% offset yield strength increases linearly with the increase of the magnesium concentration in the interior of the α-Al crystals formed during slurry preparation of SSM Al-7Si-Mg castings in the T5 and T6 conditions. Macrosegregation regions surrounded by an oxide layer were preferential sites for fatigue crack initiation in the SSM Al-7Si-Mg castings tested in this study.
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| 9. |
- Siafakas, Dimitrios, 1982-
(author)
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On particles and slags in steel casting
- 2019
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Hadfield steel is widely accepted as one of the most important steel alloys utilized in industrial applications where high impact strength and wear resistance is required. Like in most metallic alloys used for component casting, the mechanical properties of Hadfield steel are directly connected with the microstructure of the material. It has been reported that Hadfield steel components with fine microstructure can present up to 30% increased strength and reduced risk of porosity formation during solidification when compared with their coarser microstructure counterparts.In the light-metal alloy and cast-iron industry, one of the most widely used methods for achieving refinement of the microstructure of the material is known as inoculation. As the name implies, inoculation is the practice ofadding selected compounds or alloying elements in a metal melt that have the ability to promote rapid grain nucleation during solidification. Even though it has been proved that inoculation is one of the most efficient methods for the refinement of a wide variety of metallic alloys, it has not yet gained adequate acceptance in the steel casting industry because researchers have not yet been able to identify proper inoculants for steel.The efficiency of the microstructural refinement when inoculating is influenced by several factors like the type of inoculant used and the processing conditions during melting, deoxidation, casting and heat treatment. Following proper deoxidation methods and application of tailored oxidic slags during melting could significantly promote the precipitation of desired inclusions that can act as potent nucleation sites for grains or as grain growth inhibitors.In any case, efficient inoculation is influenced by the complex interaction between the inoculant, the oxide slag, and the melt. The way this interaction happens is in many ways dictated by the chemical and thermophysical properties of the substances involved. Therefore, obtaining accurate values of basic thermophysical properties like viscosity and interfacial tension by improving current and utilizing novel measurement methods could significantly help in the effort of identifying and efficiently utilizing potent inoculants for austenitic steels.Considering the above, this work has a dual objective. The primary aim is to investigate if any of the by-products of deoxidation of Hadfield steel that remain in the material after solidification can act as potent inoculants by examining their qualitative and quantitative characteristics and their influence on the as-cast microstructure of the steel. The secondary aim is to acquire accurate values for oxide slag viscosity and slag-iron interfacial tension at high temperatures using different measurement methods and investigate how thermophysical properties are influenced by thermal and compositional conditions. This type of research is important because not only it can help to identify which substances are potent inoculants for austenitic steels but also pave the way for developing new or improving conventional deoxidation and inoculation processes with the ultimate goal of improving the cast component’s mechanical properties.The work is divided into 3 different stages. The first stage is dedicated to high-temperature oxide slag viscosity measurements. The viscosity of oxide slags with varying composition is measured in a wide temperature range utilizing the rotational bob and aerodynamic levitation methods. The systematic error is defined, and the compositional and thermodynamic dependence of viscosity is explained. In the second stage, the precipitation of particles in aluminum and titanium deoxidized Hadfield steel is investigated. The characteristics of particles, including type, size, morphology, composition, population, and sequence of precipitation are identified. The results are then compared against thermodynamic equilibrium calculations, a particle growth mathematical model is developed and the precipitation mechanism of each type of particle is described. Finally, in the third stage, the as-cast grain size of samples produced with varying deoxidation procedures is measured and the relationship between particle characteristics and grain size is determined. The particles are ranked according to their refining potency and compared to a ranking based on their disregistry with austenite.
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| 10. |
- Zamani, Mohammadreza, 1985-
(author)
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Al-Si Cast Alloys - Microstructure and Mechanical Properties at Ambient and Elevated Temperatures
- 2017
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Swedish industry is a global leader in development and manufacture of automotive and aviation components where the usage of aluminium products is remarkable. In addition to manufacturing aluminium components, casting enables low-cost and low-emission production of complex geometry components with a range of sizes. Aluminium with Si as the major alloying element forms a class of alloys representing the most significant fraction of all cast products, for a wide range of applications due to an excellent combination of castability and mechanical properties, as well as good corrosion resistance, wear resistance and recyclability. The microstructure in Al-Si alloys strongly governs their mechanical properties. Several industrial practices such as eutectic modification and alloying are well-known to improve mechanical properties. Al-Si cast alloys generally suffer a lack of ductility and poor high temperature properties due to presence of either brittle or thermally unstable phases. The aim of this work is to study the explicit role of each microstructural constituent on the behaviour of Al-Si cast alloys at room and high temperatures. The results will accordingly highlight the potential for improvement in properties of such alloys.Casting defects have an immediate and negative effect on the properties of Al-Si alloys and reducing the overall level of defects substantially improves tensile properties. An increased cooling rate refines all microstructural features and reduces volumetric porosity which leads to substantial improvement in tensile properties (e.g. Rm and εF) at any test temperature. Modification of eutectic Si-particles (through Sr-addition) generally has a positive effect on alloy ductility. Depression in eutectic growth temperature as a result of eutectic modification was found to be strongly correlated to the level of modification irrespective of coarseness of the microstructure.Addition of transition metals (Ni-Ti-Zr-Cr-V) to Al-Si improves tensile strength, particularly at temperatures above 200 ºC caused by formation of thermally stable intermetallic compounds. Below 200 ºC however, a substantial potential for improvement through solute-reinforcement was obtained.A physically-based constitutive model with a wide validity range was successfully developed to describe the flow behaviour of Al-Si alloys at different temperatures, as a reliable input for finite element simulation.
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