Microstructure and Mechanical Properties Change of Al7SiMgxEr (x: 0.03–0.1)

Aluminum and its alloys are widely used in many fields, such as automotive, aerospace, and defense industries, due to their many advantages. Due to such critical applications, the quality demands are also increasing. With the recent development in technologies, studies on casting of aluminum with different alloying element additions are ongoing rapidly. Various elements are added to the alloy to provide the desired properties. In this study, the effects of 0.03, 0.06, and 0.1 wt% Er addition to A356 aluminum alloy were evaluated simply because in the literature, only 0.1 wt% and above additions were studied. Samples were prepared using permanent molds and subjected to mechanical testing and microstructural characterization. Changes in the microstructure (evaluated via SDAS and SDAL) and mechanical properties of the cast specimens were analyzed. The results showed that Er addition improved tensile strength by up to 30%, increased elongation fourfold, and enhanced toughness by a factor of 4.5.