Comparison of As Cast and T6 heat treatment on high end-of-life-scrap secondaryaluminium alloy for High-Pressure Die Casting automotive structural components

A. Bongiovanni 1 *, M. Da Silva 2 , A. Castellero1

1 Department of Chemistry, NIS, University of Turin, Turin, Italy 2 Eurecat, Centre Tecnològic de Catalunya, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain

*andrea.bongiovanni@unito.it, manel.dasilva@eurecat.org, alberto.castellero@unito.it

Abstract

The automotive industry is working towards further reducing the carbon footprint of its vehicles and, with the electric vehicle transition, the raw materials used for the car itself need to be decarbonized.

Aluminium alloys offer infinitely recyclability, but they are sensitive to the Fe embrittlement that derives from recycling. High-pressure die casting AlSi10MnMg alloy is the most used alloy for structural components and is typically primary quality due to the high performances required.

The present study investigates the behavior of structural secondary AlSi10MnMg alloy developed in the SALEMA European project. The alloy is designed at the upper tolerance level of EN 1706 43500 alloy with 70% and 90% end-of-life recycle content.

This study analyzes the microstructure and casting defects, corrosion behavior and mechanical properties (bending and hardness tests) between as cast and T6 heat treatment. The microstructure and hardness are like the ones of primary alloys.

Tab 1. Chemical composition measured by Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES), Sludge Factor (SF) and recycle content (%).

Fig. 1. Optical micrographs showing the porosities in the F (a) and T6 samples (b).
Fig. 1. Optical micrographs showing the porosities in the F (a) and T6 samples (b).

KEYWORDS

secondary aluminium alloy, high pressure die casting, AlSi10MnMg, T6, heat treatment, automotive, structural

REFERENCES

[1] Paltsev, Sergey & Chen, Y.-H. Henry & Karplus, Valerie & Kishimoto, Paul & Reilly, John & Loeschel, Andreas
& von Graevenitz, Kathrine & Koesler, Simon, (2015). "Reducing CO2 from cars in the European Union:
Emission standards or emission trading?", CAWM Discussion Papers 84, University of Münster, Münster
Center for Economic Policy (MEP).
[2] Aluminum content in European Passenger Cars, Public Summary, 2019, Ducker Frontier.
[3] Bösch, Dominik & Pogatscher, Stefan & Hummel, Marc & Fragner, Werner & Uggowitzer, Peter & Göken,
Mathias & Höppel, H.W. (2014). Secondary Al-Si-Mg High-pressure Die Casting Alloys with Enhanced
Ductility. Metall and Mat Trans A. 46.
[4] Raabe, D.; Ponge, D. Making sustainable aluminum by recycling scrap: The science of “dirty” alloys. Prog.
Mater. Sci. 2022, 128, 100947.
[5] https://salemaproject.eu/
[6] ISO 1706:2020, “Aluminum and aluminum alloys – Castings – Chemical composition and mechanical
properties”, Int. Organ. Stand, 2020.
[7] Ceschini, Lorella & Morri, Alessandro & Toschi, Stefania & Bjurenstedt, Anton & Seifeddine, Salem. (2018).
Influence of Sludge Particles on the Fatigue Behavior of Al-Si-Cu Secondary Aluminium Casting Alloys.
Metals. 8. 268.
[8] Gobrecht, J. Settling-out of Fe, Mn and Cr in Al-Si casting alloys. Giesserei 1975, 62, 263–266. 15.
[9] Jorstad, J. Understanding sludge. Die Cast. Eng. 1986, 30, 30–36
[10] VDA 238-100 test specification draft: Plate bending test for metallic materials. 12/2010
[11] Bonollo, F., Gramegna, N. & Timelli, G. High-Pressure Die-Casting: Contradictions and Challenges. JOM 67,
901–908 (2015).
[12] Ahamed, Aziz & Kato, Hiroshi. (2008). Effect of cold flakes on mechanical properties of aluminium alloy die
casts. International Journal of Cast Metals Research - INT J CAST METALS RES. 21. 162-167.
[13] Taylor, John. (2012). Iron-Containing Intermetallic Phases in Al-Si Based Casting Alloys. Procedia Materials
Science. 1. 19–33.
[14] A.K. Dahle, K. Nogita, S.D. McDonald, C. Dinnis, L. Lu, Eutectic modification and microstructure
development in Al–Si Alloys, Mater. Sci. Eng.: A 413–414 (2005) 243–248.
[15] Bjurenstedt, Anton & Casari, Daniele & Seifeddine, Salem & Mathiesen, Ragnvald & Dahle, A. (2017). Insitu study of morphology and growth of primary α-Al(FeMnCr)Si intermetallics in an Al-Si alloy. Acta
Materialia. 130.
[16] Zaidao Li, Nathalie Limodin, Amina Tandjaoui, Philippe Quaegebeur, Pierre Osmond, David Balloy,
Influence of Sr, Fe and Mn content and casting process on the microstructures and mechanical properties of
AlSi7Cu3 alloy, Materials Science and Engineering: A, Volume 689, 2017, Pages 286-297