Sintering behavior and microstructural characterization of Aluminium copper powder compacts (Al- 4.4 Cu-0.8 Si-0.5 Mg Wt% ) alloy prepared by powder metallurgy

Abstract

Powder Metallurgy (P/M) is a near net shape metal forming techniques used to manufacture part to close tolerance. In this research, aluminium copper alloy (Al-4.4%Cu- 0.8% Si-0.5%Mg) is prepared by using P/M method. In the sample preparation, a P/M is comprised with mixing, blending, compacting and sintering. Hence, the aim of this FYP is to study the sintering behavior of aluminium copper alloys. As known, sintering behavior is a process where green product is heated at elevated temperature, which below its melting temperature; at the controlled atmosphere and allow the fusion and bonding between the base metal and its alloying elements. In this FYP, three different sintering temperature parameters as 520 ºC, 560 ºC and 600 ºC have been studied. Besides, the samples were also prepared by varying the composition of Magnesium (Mg) content in aluminium copper alloys and named it as Premix A and Premix B. Then the effects of the sintering behavior and varying composition of Mg have been investigate by performed the testing such as green and sintered density measurement, dimensional analysis, percentage of porosity, Vickers hardness testing and microstructural analysis under Image Analyzer and SEM. With the results, a conclusion has been made where the samples in Premix B with low sintering temperature shows the better values in the spec of the sintered density, percent of porosity, Vickers hardness value and microstructural observations under Image Analyzer and SEM. The samples in Premix B are giving a low percent of porosity, fine-crystalline structure and remain relatively high Vickers hardness value in the low sintering temperature.