The Effect of Variation in Cerium in Aluminum-Cerium Alloys on Microstructure and Hardness
Mentor 1
Pradeep Rohatgi
Start Date
28-4-2023 12:00 AM
Description
Traditional aluminum alloys are lightweight and cost-efficient but lose their mechanical strength at elevated temperatures. Combining aluminum with cerium creates easy-to-cast Al-Ce alloys that exhibit dramatically improved high-temperature performance. A set of aluminum-cerium alloys at nine compositions ranging from 2% cerium to 18% cerium (weight percentages-wt.%) were cast, and the effect of composition on the microstructure and hardness was studied. Micrographs revealed two major phases in all the cast alloys, including primary α-Al and intermetallic Al11Ce3 phases. The volume % of intermetallic phase, hardness, and density increased with cerium content and are reported along with the average sizes of each phase. Until 14wt% Cerium, the microstructure showed primary-α aluminum and eutectic (lamellar structure of primary-α aluminum and intermetallic). Above the eutectic compositions of 14wt% Cerium, the microstructure showed primary Al11Ce3 particles and the eutectic phase. The current work helps understand the effect of the variations in composition on microstructure and selected properties. This understanding can improve the widespread adoption of Al-Ce alloys.
The Effect of Variation in Cerium in Aluminum-Cerium Alloys on Microstructure and Hardness
Traditional aluminum alloys are lightweight and cost-efficient but lose their mechanical strength at elevated temperatures. Combining aluminum with cerium creates easy-to-cast Al-Ce alloys that exhibit dramatically improved high-temperature performance. A set of aluminum-cerium alloys at nine compositions ranging from 2% cerium to 18% cerium (weight percentages-wt.%) were cast, and the effect of composition on the microstructure and hardness was studied. Micrographs revealed two major phases in all the cast alloys, including primary α-Al and intermetallic Al11Ce3 phases. The volume % of intermetallic phase, hardness, and density increased with cerium content and are reported along with the average sizes of each phase. Until 14wt% Cerium, the microstructure showed primary-α aluminum and eutectic (lamellar structure of primary-α aluminum and intermetallic). Above the eutectic compositions of 14wt% Cerium, the microstructure showed primary Al11Ce3 particles and the eutectic phase. The current work helps understand the effect of the variations in composition on microstructure and selected properties. This understanding can improve the widespread adoption of Al-Ce alloys.
