Effect of heat treatment on corrosion and ultrasonic cavitation erosion resistance of AlSi10MnMg alloy

The investigated alloy is modified by casting with Sr in order to finish the eutectic silicon from microstructure and furthermore subjected to solution treatment followed by natural or artificial aging to improve the usage properties. Metallographic investigations and X-ray diffraction analyses showed that the heat treated microstructure consists of alpha-solid solution crystals with aluminum base, alpha + Si eutectic and intermetallic Al-Mn-Si phases. Mechanical tests and ultrasonic cavitation measurements showed that the highest mechanical characteristics and cavitation erosion resistance properties are obtained by applying the solution treatment followed by artificial aging. In contrast, electrochemical tests carried out in a saline concentration of 3.5% NaCl in order to determine the corrosion rate, indicated that although there are no significant differences between the three structural states, a slight improvement was found in the corrosion behavior after applying the solution treatment followed by both natural and artificial aging. The phenomenon was demonstrated by shifting the values of corrosion currents from 2.66 mu m/cm(2) for the as-cast state, to 1.81 mu m/cm(2) and 1.52 mu m/cm(2), respectively, for the aged states. Finally, analysis of the cavitation eroded surface highlights the presence in the areas with alpha-solid solution structure of some flat-bottomed striped pinches, characteristic of fatigue fracture and of microcraters in the micro-zones where the fragile intermetallic phases were dislocated.