The Influence of Thermal Treatments on the Mechanical Properties of Aluminum Bronzes

Abstract The purpose of the work is to present the influence of hardening and tempering heat treatments on the mechanical properties of aluminum bronzes. After processing, the material was cast into metal shells in the form of bars with dimensions ø 40×300 [mm] and later these were subjected to thermal treatments of tempering (850-900 0 C) and holding for 120 minutes, and tempering (350-550 0 C) with holding time between 60-240 minutes. Subsequently, the mechanical properties, such as hardness and tensile strength, of aluminum bronzes were determined depending on the heat treatment parameters. It is found that during the tempering treatment the values of the mechanical characteristics change significantly in relation to the tempering temperature and the holding time at this temperature, the holding time at the tempering temperature influencing the mechanical properties of the alloy. The analysis of the mechanical properties, hardness and breaking strength of the tempered samples, shows that for the range of tempering temperatures 700-850 0 C, these properties increase with temperature. The experimental results indicated that the best operating characteristics for the analyzed alloy were obtained at a tempering temperature of 875 0 C and a holding time at the tempering temperature of 1 hour, with a tempering at a temperature of 4000C, with a holding time of 90 minutes. Quenching and tempering heat treatment is a fundamental engineering process for improving the mechanical properties of metals, ensuring performance and reliability in various industrial and technological applications.