Casting and Heat Treatment of Turbocharger Impellers Thixocast from Alloy 201

Commercial semi-solid cast impellers are produced from Al-Si-Cu alloys heat treated to the T6 temper. The study described in this paper involved the identification of casting and heat treatment parameters to produce semi-solid processed turbocharger impellers from a silicon-free, higher strength 201 alloy. Casting parameters were identified which minimized hot tearing in the alloy 201 impellers. A series of heat treatment studies were performed to determine optimum heat treatment parameters. The T71 temper was identified as the preferred heat treatment condition to produce high strength as well as superior elongation. The results from mechanical property measurements conducted on the T71 heat treated impellers are reported. Optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were also used to characterize the microstructure of alloy 201 impellers before and after heat treatment, and representative microstructures are presented.