Spray formed hypereutectic aluminium alloys - crystallographic orientation

Abstract

Hypereutectic aluminium-silicon alloys have been wide accepted in the automotive, electric and aerospace industries. This is due to the high strength-weight ratio, to the low coefficient of thermal expansion and the good resistance to the wear and tear. The use of conventional metallurgy for production of these alloys is limited by a narrow range of possible compositions. This can be attributed to the formation and presence of coarse primary silicon particles, because of the slow cooling rate associated to conventional metallurgy. The use of spray forming can overcome this obstacle. The present work was undertaken to analyse the texture by X-ray diffraction techniques of three spray formed aluminium-silicon alloys. One experimental alloy (alloy 1) was hot-rolled and cold-rolled. 'The other two alloys are in commercial use, alloys 2 and 3. The results from the Laue camera showed texture just in the axial direction of alloy 3. The pole figures also indicated the presence of deformation texture just for alloy 3.