Date of Award
Fall 1950
Document Type
Thesis - Restricted
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Physics
First Advisor
Schoen, J. E.
Second Advisor
Barkow, A. G.
Third Advisor
Greene, J. B.
Abstract
Although numerous investigations have been made concerning the precipitation hardening of wrought aluminum alloys, little work has been done along those lines for the die-cast alloys. Because of the favorable combination of properties, low density, ease of casting, and the improvement of physical properties by the addition of alloying elements which render these alloys heat-treatable, there is increasing use of the economical die-casting methods in the mass production of parts made of these alloys today. An attempt was made during this investigation to develop a method to control the heat-treating processes of this Al-Si-Cu die-casting alloy. It was hoped that the correlation of metallography, physical testing, and X-ray diffraction analyses could be used to determine the optimum combination physical properties that would produce reproducible results. Unfortunately it was found early in the investigation that the techniques involved in these methods, particularly in regard to the time involved in their procedures, do not lend themselves to routine shop control. However, a desire to understand the precipitation hardening characteristics of this alloy and the need to discover the optimum conditions of solution and precipitation treatment which would give the best combination of properties, led to the continuation of the investigation of the physical properties, metallographic characteristics and X-ray diffraction analyses of this die-cast alloy and the changes brought about in this alloy by heat-treatment.
Recommended Citation
Rittenhouse, John, "An X-Ray Diffraction and Metallurgical Investigation of Age Hardening in an Al-Si-Cu Die-Casting Alloy" (1950). Master's Theses (1922-2009) Access restricted to Marquette Campus. 2311.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/theses/2311