Manufacturing of Al-Al3Fe functionally graded material using the vacuum centrifugal method and measurements of its mechanical properties

摘要

The centrifugal method is one of thefunctionally graded material(FGM) manufacturingmethods proposed by the authors. However, there arecertain difficulties in applying the centrifugalmethod to an alloy melt with high viscosity and low heatcapacity. The centrifugal casting system under a vacuumcondition is, thus, adopted and designed to improve theformer system in air. A new system is satisfactorilyconstructed and Al-Al3Fe FGM of a thickwalled tube ismanufactured from Al-10 mass% Fe master alloy. Thegraded composition of Al3Fe in aluminum matrix isexamined and is varied from pure aluminum at innersurface of the tube to 40 vol% Al3Fe at outer plane ofthe tube. The corresponding graded Young's modulus andthermal expansion coefficient of Al-Al3Fe FGM vary from71 to 99.5 Gpa and from 25.5×10 –6 to 21.3×10 –6 K-1,respectively. Tensile tests are carried out using thinplate standard specimen for which Al3Fe grains arehomogeneously distributed statistically. The averagedvolume fraction of Al3Fe in the specimens, which aretested, is about 28 vol%. Tensile strength of 94 Mpaat 0.49% tensile strain and Young's modulus of 90 Gpa are obtained.