EFFECTS OF PARTICLE SIZE, DEFORMATION AND HEAT TREATMENT PROCESSING ON STRENGTH AND DUCTILITY OF ALUMINUM-IRON COMPOSITE

This paper presents new evidence for enhancement of strength and ductility of aluminum 1200 alloy through the addition of iron particles. Iron particles of sizes 106,181,256,362.5 and 512.5 gm were added to the aluminum alloy. The samples produced were homogenized at 420 degrees C for 10 hours, upset forged at 32 degrees C and annealed at 470 degrees C for 8 hours. Tensile strength of 280MPa and ductility of 1.75 were achieved in the aluminum alloy with coarse Fe (106 mu m) particles at 10% reduction when forged and subsequently annealed. With 50% reduction and finer-sized particles of Fe, strength dropped to 160MPa without significant decrease in ductility (1.7). The presence of fine Fe particles at grain boundaries after annealing with most of the particles in solid solution is responsible for the drop in strength.