Microstructures and tensile properties of an A1-12 wt pct Si alloy produced by reciprocating extrusion

A reciprocating extrusion (RE) process has been developed for producing A1-12 wt pct Si bulk alloys with fine and uniform microstructures and superior properties. Two starting forms were used: disks produced by the hammer-and-anvil method and cast billets produced by casting. Variations of micro-structure and mechanical properties with the number of extrusion passes are investigated for these two starting forms. The results show that the porosity along the interfaces between the rapidly solidified layers could be completely eliminated to give a sound matrix. The Si-phase particles in both cases could be refined and distributed uniformly. The strength and ductility of all specimens are also enhanced, until the microstructure reaches an optimum state, as the number of extrusion passes increases. The tensile properties of the rapidly solidified Al-Si alloys are found to be superior to those of ingot-processed alloys, due to the inherent finer particles produced by rapid solidification. The mechanism for the improvement of the microstructures and properties is also discussed.