Abstract:To investigate the effect of grain refinement on the material properties of recently developed Al-25Zn-3Cu based alloys, Al-25Zn-3Cu, Al-25Zn-3Cu-0.01Ti, Al-25Zn-3Cu-3Si and Al-25Zn-3Cu-3Si-0.01Ti alloys were produced by permanent mold casting method. Microstructures of the alloys were examined by SEM. Hardness and mechanical properties of the alloys were determined by Brinell method and tensile tests, respectively. Tribological characteristics of the alloys were investigated by a ball-on-disc type test machine. Corrosion properties of the alloys were examined by an electrochemical corrosion experimental setup. It was observed that microstructure of the ternary A1-25Zn-3Cu alloy consisted of α, α+η and θ (Al₂Cu) phases. It was also observed that the addition of 3 wt.% Si to A1-25Zn-3Cu alloy resulted in the formation of silicon particles in its microstructure. The addition of 0.01 wt.% Ti to the Al-25Zn-3Cu and Al-25Zn-3Cu-3Si alloys caused a decrement in grain size by approximately 20% and 39% and an increment in hardness from HRB 130 to 137 and from HRB 141 to 156, respectively. Yield strengths of these alloys increased from 278 to 297 MPa and from 320 to 336 MPa while their tensile strengths increased from 317 to 340 MPa and from 334 to 352 MPa. Wear resistance of the alloys increased, but corrosion resistance decreased with titanium addition.

Key words: Al-Zn-Cu alloy; as-cast microstructure; characterization; corrosion; fracture; friction and wear characteristics; mechanical properties