Leandro C. Peixoto

Corrosion behavior of hypoeutectic Al-Cu alloys in H2SO4 and NaCl solutions

The aim of this work was to evaluate the electrochemical behaviour of hypoeutectic Al-Cu alloys immersed in two different solutions containing sulphate and chloride ions, respectively. The influence of Al 2 Cu associated to the dendritic arm spacing on the general corrosion resistance of such alloys is analysed. The typical microstructural pattern was examined by using scanning electron microscope. The corrosion tests were performed in both 0.5 M sulphuric acid and 0.5 M NaCl solutions at 25 °C by using an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique and potentio-dynamic polarization curves. Equivalent circuits by using the ZView software, were also used to provide quantitative support for the discussions. It was found that as the Cu content increased ( i.e ., increasing the Al 2 Cu fraction), a higher susceptibility to the corrosion action in the NaCl solution is detected. In contrast, the tests carried out in the H 2 SO 4 solution resulted in similar corrosion rates for the three different hypoeutectic alloys.

Correlação entre propriedades mecânicas e arranjo dendrítico de ligas Sn-Zn utilizadas em solda sem presença de chumbo

The development of lead-free solder has been an urgent and hard task for material due to health and environmental concerns over the lead content of conventional solders. The aim of the present work is to investigate the influence of microstructural dendritic array parameters of a Sn-4wt% and 12 wt% Zn lead-free solder alloys on its mechanical properties. A water-cooled (25 °C ±2°C) unidirectional solidification system was used in the experiments. The solidification set-up was designed in such way that the heat was extracted only through the water-cooled bottom, promoting vertical upward directional solidification. The experimental results permitted to establish correlations between thermal parameters and secondary dendrite arm spacings with ultimate tensile strength and elongation. It was concluded that the microstructural refinement has significantly improved the elongation (of about 10%). It was also found that, in a range of the cooling rate of about 0.5 and 10 oC/s, the Sn-4 wt% Zn solder alloy has lower variation of the tensile strength (31 to 32 MPa) and elongation than the Sn-12 wt% Zn solder alloy (29 to 33 MPa).

Efeitos da agitação mecânica e de adição de refinador de grão na microestrutura e propriedade mecânica de fundidos da liga Al-Sn

The aim of this article was to evaluate the effects of mechanical stirring and grain refiner addition in three different Al-10wt%Sn casting alloys on their resulting macro and microstructures and mechanical properties. These samples were obtained by using: i) die casting, ii) casting with mechanical stirring, iii) die casting using grain refiner (master alloy Al-5wt%Ti-1wt%B) and iv) die casting with grain refiner and mechanical stirring. Experimental results presented different mean grain sizes and different cooling rates when different casting procedures were applied. Cellular and dendritic morphologies were observed when ranges of cooling rates of about 0.6 to 0.75 oC/s and of 1.75 to 2.55 oC/s were employed, respectively. Porosity levels of all studied alloy samples were also analyzed. Results of the mechanical behavior, particularly, ultimate tensile strength, yield strength and specific elongation were correlated with mean grain sizes, dendritic arm and cellular spacings and porosity levels attained for the three different cast Al-10wt%Sn alloy samples. The control of the resulting microstructure of the as-cast product may be used as an alternative way to produce sound casting alloy components with improvement in the mechanical properties.

A influência da macrosegregação e da variação dos espaçamentos dendríticos na resistência à corrosão da liga Al-4,5%Cu

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the electrochemical behavior of an Al-4.5wt%Cu alloy solidified under unsteady-state heat flow conditions. This evaluation was carried out through the analysis of both potentiodynamic polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests in a 0.5 M NaCl solution at 25oC. The experimental segregation profile obtained in the solidification experiment was characterized by positive and negative copper content regions at the bottom and the top of the casting, respectively. Likewise, in conventional foundry practice, in a same casting both positive and negative copper segregation regions may occur. Such casting can exhibit different corrosion responses at different locations. The influences of solute redistribution during solidification, the magnitude of dendritic spacing and hence of the Al-rich phase and of Al2Cu particles distribution along the casting on the corrosion resistance, were examined in samples collected along the casting length. The corrosion rate and impedance parameters (obtained from an equivalent circuit analysis) are also discussed.