Structure and selected properties of high-aluminium Zn alloy with silicon addition

The results of examinations concerning the abrasive wear resistance, hardness, and thermal expansion of high-aluminium zinc alloys are presented. The examinations were carried out for five synthetic ZnAl28 alloys with variable silicon content ranging from 0.5% to 3.5%, and – for the purpose of comparison – for the standardised ZnAl28Cu4 alloy. It was found that silicon efficiently increases the tribological properties and decreases the coefficient of thermal expansion of zinc alloys. The most advantageous set of the examined properties is exhibited by the alloys containing over 2.5% Si. They are characterised by higher parameters as compared with the standardised alloy. Observations of microstructures reveal that silicon precipitates as a separate compact phase, and its morphology depends on the Si content in the alloy. The performed examinations show that silicon can satisfactorily replace copper in high aluminium Zn alloys, thus eliminating the problem of dimensional instability of castings.