Mechanical Behavior of AA6061 Aluminum in the Semisolid State Obtained by Partial Melting and Partial Solidification

E. Giraud (1) , M. Suery (1) , Michel Coret (2)

1 SIMaP - Science et Ingénierie des Matériaux et Procédés
2 LaMCoS - Laboratoire de Mécanique des Contacts et des Structures [Villeurbanne]

The tensile properties of a 6061 aluminum alloy have been studied in the semisolid state at large solid fractions. The tests have been carried out either after a partial melting treatment or after partial solidification. Results show the following: (1) the mechanical behavior depends on the liquid-phase distribution and, therefore, on the way the semisolid state has been achieved (melting or solidification); (2) there is a critical solid fraction range where the semisolid alloy is relatively brittle; and (3) the mushy alloy exhibits viscoplastic behavior with the occurrence of micro-superplasticity at low strain rate. Modeling of this behavior is carried out by considering either the area fraction of grain boundaries wetted by the liquid or a cohesion parameter of the solid phase, which depends on solid fraction and thermal treatment.

Domaines: Matériaux

E. Giraud, M. Suery, Michel Coret. Mechanical Behavior of AA6061 Aluminum in the Semisolid State Obtained by Partial Melting and Partial Solidification. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, 2010, 41A, pp.2257-2268. ⟨10.1007/s11661-010-0268-5⟩. ⟨hal-00581456⟩