Effect of total iron and silicon contents and homogenization on the microstructure and performance of 6201 Al–Mg–Si ingots

In this study, 6201 Al–Mg–Si cast ingots were investigated to determine the influence of total iron and silicon contents and homogenization on their microstructure and performance, including electrical and creep resistance. The tests included scanning electron microscopy, electron back scatter diffraction, and X-ray diffraction. The results showed that an increase in the total Fe and Si contents refined the microstructure, increased the weight of the ∑3 twin boundaries, and decreased the texture index FCGB in the initial Al–Mg–Si cast ingots. With increasing homogenization treatment time, the electrical conductivity (EC) in all three groups of homogenized ingots first decreased significantly (within 4 h) and then remained relatively stable. The increase in the total Fe and Si contents resulted in a decrease in the EC and an increase in the hardness of the as-homogenized cast ingot samples. The improvement in the EC of the initial and as-homogenized cast ingots was due to the high content of low-angle grain boundaries and strong Cube texture. The room-temperature creep resistance of the as-homogenized cast ingots was improved by high Fe and Si contents. The texture index FCGB and orientation streamline approach were determined to be powerful indicators for distinguishing and describing texture evolution during the homogenization of cast ingots with various chemical compositions.

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Opracowanie rekordu ze środków MNiSW, umowa nr POPUL/SP/0154/2024/02 w ramach programu "Społeczna odpowiedzialność nauki II" - moduł: Popularyzacja nauki (2025)