Microstructure and Properties of Semi-solid ZCuSn10P1 Alloy Processed with an Enclosed Cooling Slope Channel

• Published in: Metals (Basel ) Vol. 8; no. 4; p. 275
• Main Authors: Li, Yongkun, Zhou, Rongfeng, Lu, Li, Han, Xiao, Jiang, Yehua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 17.04.2018
• Subjects: Automobile industry; Casting; Casting alloys; Chill casting; Cooling; Copper; Elongation; enclosed cooling slope channel; Microstructure; microstructure refinement; Pouring; properties; semi-solid; Semisolids; Shape factor; Slurries; Squeeze casting; Ultimate tensile strength; X-ray diffraction; ZCuSn10P1
• ISSN: 2075-4701; 2075-4701
• DOI: 10.3390/met8040275

Semi-solid ZCuSn10P1 alloy slurry was fabricated by a novel enclosed cooling slope channel (ECSC). The influence of pouring length of ECSC on the microstructures of ZCuSn10P1 alloy semi-solid slurry was studied with an optical microscope an optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). Liquid squeeze casting and semi-solid squeeze casting were performed under the same forming conditions, and the microstructure and properties were compared. The results show that primary α-Cu phase gradually evolved from dendrites to worm-like or equiaxed grains under the chilling action of the inner wall of the ECSC. The mass fraction of tin in the primary α-Cu phase increased from 5.85 to 6.46 after the ECSC process, and intergranular segregation was effectively suppressed. The finest microstructure can be obtained at 300 mm pouring length of ECSC; the equivalent diameter is 46.6 μm and its shape factor is 0.73. The average ultimate tensile strength and average elongation of semi-solid squeeze casting ZCuSn10P1 alloy reached 417 MPa and 12.6%, which were improved by 22% and 93%, respectively, as compared to that of liquid squeeze casting.