Mechanical Performance of Zr-Containing 354-Type Al-Si-Cu-Mg Cast Alloy: Role of Geometrical Discontinuities

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of 354-type Al-Si-Cu-Mg cast alloys at both ambient (25 degrees C) and elevated temperatures (250 degrees C) through the addition of zirconium (Zr), nickel (Ni) and manganese (Mn). The motive behind these additions was to develop thermally stable alloys capable of resisting softening instigated by prolonged exposure at elevated temperatures and hence preserve acceptable mechanical properties. Another parameter affecting performance is geometry. Four different notch geometries were employed: two hole-type geometries and two types of V-notches (symmetric and asymmetric for each). The results reveal that the presence of asymmetric notches in the tensile test bars proved to be more deleterious than symmetric notches to the notch tensile strength and percentage elongation to fracture at both 25 degrees C and at 250 degrees C. The softening that took place during tensile testing at 250 degrees C rendered the alloys some ductility (in particular, the M1S (354 + 0.3 wt.% Zr), M2S (354 + 0.3 wt.% Zr + 2 wt.% Ni) and M3S alloys (354 + 0.3 wt.% Zr +0.75 wt.% Mn)), as a result, the notched tensile bars with asymmetric holes exhibited high strength values for these alloys compared to the tensile strength of unnotched bars subjected to similar heat treatment conditions owing to the presence of notches. The notch sensitivity ratios vary between 0.78 and 0.95 for asymmetric holes versus 0.7 and 0.85 for asymmetric V-notches at room temperature and 0.9 and 1.07 for asymmetric holes versus 0.7 and 0.92 for asymmetric V-notches at 250 degrees C.