A Review on Processing–Microstructure–Property Relationships of Al-Si Alloys: Recent Advances in Deformation Behavior

While research on lightweight materials has been carried out for decades, it has become intensified with recent climate action initiatives leading pathways to net zero. Aluminum alloys are at the pinnacle of the light metal world, especially in the automotive and aerospace industries. This review intends to highlight recent developments in the processing, structure, and mechanical properties of structural Al-Si alloys to solve various pressing environmental issues via lightweighting strategies. With the excellent castability of Al-Si alloys, advancements in emerging casting methods and additive manufacturing processes have been summarized in relation to varying chemical compositions. Improvements in thermal stability and electrical conductivity, along with superior mechanical strength and fatigue resistance, are analyzed for advanced Al-Si alloys with the addition of other alloying elements. The role of Si morphology modification, along with particle distribution, size, and precipitation sequencing, is discussed in connection with the improvement of static and dynamic mechanical properties of the alloys. The physics-based damage mechanisms of fatigue failure under high-cycle and low-cycle fatigue loading are further elaborated for Al-Si alloys. The defect, porosity, and surface topography related to manufacturing processes and chemical compositions are also reviewed. Based on the gaps identified here, future research directions are suggested, including the usage of computational modeling of microstructures and the integration of artificial intelligence to produce mass-efficient and cost-effective solutions for the manufacturing of Al-Si alloys.