Analysis of Heat Treatment of AlSi7Cu0.5Mg Alloy

This article describes how different heat treatment methods affect the mechanical properties of AlSi7Cu0.5Mg. This article offers a new perspective on the topic of heat treatment analysis. AlSi7Cu0.5Mg alloy has a specific chemical composition due to its lower titanium and silicon content. It is still an experimentally tested alloy, intended for the production of high-strength castings in automotive applications. Although we are generally familiar with heat treatment methods for aluminum alloys, in the present case, we did not know the exact effect of artificial aging on the mechanical properties of AlSi7Cu0.5Mg. Five heat treatment regimes at temperatures of 160; 180; 200; 220 and 240 °C were monitored by removing the samples from the furnace at specified time intervals ranging from 30 min to 8 h. The solution treatment was the same for all samples (540 °C, 4 h and 80 °C water). The aim was to find out at what the highest hardness, strength, ductility, yield strength and metallographic yield strength were which could be obtained. The best properties were presented by the alloy which was artificially aged at 180 °C for 60 min. The topic and research on aluminum alloys in general are still relevant because in industrial practice and automotive applications, Al alloys are irreplaceable.