Enhancing Mechanical Properties via Semi-solid Metal Processing of A356 Alloy

Rapid slurry formation is a technique for the formation of semi-solid metal which helps to form complex geometries using a single operation. It is based on enthalpy-exchange process and also differs from other rheo-casting techniques. The present investigation involves the comparative analysis of microstructure along with mechanical properties between unprocessed A356 alloy and Al-6061 alloy followed by semi-solid processed A356 and A356 with grain-refiner (B) and modifier (Sr). A microstructure comparison was also done between unprocessed A356 and RSF processed A356 Al-alloys. Both the processed alloys were held at a particular temperature. The SSM slurry was water-quenched to freeze the microstructure. The microstructures of both alloys were inspected and hardness of the alloys was measured. A fine microstructure with globular grains was obtained for rapidly formed processed alloys. The benefit of this method is the low solid fraction which is useful to get a globular structure with simultaneously keeping good fluidity of suspension, and the suspension preparation is less expensive as compared with the other methods.