Effect of Low-Temperature Annealing on Creep Properties of AlSi10Mg Alloy Produced by Additive Manufacturing: Experiments and Modeling

The effects of postprocessing annealing at 225 degrees C for 2 h on the creep properties of AlSi10Mg alloy were investigated through constant load experiments carried out at 150 degrees C, 175 degrees C and 225 degrees C. In the range of the experimental conditions here considered, the annealing treatment resulted in an increase in minimum creep rate for a given stress. The reduction in creep strength was higher at the lowest temperature, while the effect progressively vanished as temperature increased and/or applied stress decreased. The minimum creep rate dependence on applied stress was modeled using a physically-based model which took into account the ripening of Si particles at high temperature and which had been previously applied to the as-deposited alloy. The model was successfully validated, since it gave an excellent description of the experimental data.