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DOE OSTI · 2522680

Friction stir processing: A thermomechanical processing tool for high pressure die cast Al-alloys for vehicle light-weighting

Abstract

This study uses friction stir processing (FSP) for thermomechanical processing of high-pressure die-casting (HPDC) to modify microstructure and improve mechanical properties. FSP is carried out on two different HPDC aluminum alloys: (a) general-purpose, high-iron, HPDC A380 alloy and (b) premium quality, low-iron HPDC Aural-5 alloy in thin wall, flat plate geometry. Subsequent mechanical testing shows ~30 % and ~65 % enhancement in yield strength and tensile ductility. In addition, FSP leads to ~10 times improvement in fatigue life for A380 alloy and ~70 % improvement in fracture toughness for Aural-5 alloy. These findings emphasize the capability of FSP to modify the microstructure of HPDC Al-alloys-based structural components so that they can demonstrate a good combination of strength, ductility, fracture toughness, and high fatigue properties for long-term durability and reliability.

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Samanta, Avik, Das, Hrishikesh, Grant, Glenn J., Jana, Saumyadeep. 2024-10-15. Friction stir processing: A thermomechanical processing tool for high pressure die cast Al-alloys for vehicle light-weighting. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mfglet.2024.09.061

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗