Effect of Addition of Ti on Selected Properties of AlSi5Cu2Mg Alloy

The paper focuses on the investigation of the influence of Ti on selected properties of the hypoeutectic aluminium alloy AlSi5Cu2Mg. AlSi5Cu2Mg alloy finds application in the field of production of high-strength cylinder head castings intended for the automotive industry due to the optimal combination of mechanical, physical and foundry properties. In commercial production, the maximum Ti content is limited by the manufacturer (Ti max. = 0.03 wt.%), which significantly limits the possibilities of refinement the alloy with Ti-based grain refiners. Therefore, the possibility of increasing the Ti content beyond the manufacturer's recommendation is considered in this work. The main aim of the work is to evaluate the influence of graded Ti addition (0.1; 0.2; 0.3 wt.% Ti) on the resulting mechanical and physical properties of the AlSi5Cu2Mg alloy. Simultaneously, the influence of increased Ti content on the microstructure of AlSi5Cu2Mg alloy is evaluated. The alloying element was introduced into the melt in the form of AlTi5B1 master alloy. The effect of T6 heat treatment on the resulting mechanical and physical properties and microstructure of the hypoeutectic AlSi5Cu2Mg alloy with graded Ti addition was also investigated in the experimental work.