Proceedings of the 3rd ITB Graduate School Conference ISSN: 2963-718X

Enhancing Creativity in Research Through Developing

Innovative Capabilities
December 21, 2022

The Effect of Element (Sr, Ti, B, and Mg) Modification on

Microstructure to Increase Micro-Hardness of A356
Aluminum Alloy
Afghany Mostavan1,*, Asep Ridwan2, Arif Basuki2 & Husaini Ardy2
1Doctoral Program of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace

Engineering, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha 10, Bandung, 40132, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
2
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace
Engineering, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha 10, Bandung, 40132, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
*E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract. It is known that Sr, Ti, B, and Mg can modify the microstructure of the
A356 aluminum alloy, and the heat treatment process causes spheroidization of
eutectic silicon. This experiment presents the effect of modifier elements and heat
treatment on microstructure and microhardness. The A356 aluminum alloy is
modified with a combination of elements containing Sr, Ti, B, and Mg. The
microstructure analysis of the modified A356 aluminum alloy revealed that the
size distribution of the α-phase and eutectic silicon particles that form spheroid Si
particles varies depending on the combination composition. Comparisons between
unmodified and modified alloys show that the aspect ratios of the α phase and the
eutectic silicon particles are different. The modified A356 aluminum alloy's
microhardness can be improved. This could be related to the aspect ratio of the α
phase and eutectic silicon phases, spheroidization of fine eutectic silicon, and
precipitation hardening.

Keywords: A356 alloy; microstructure modification; micro hardness.

1 Introduction
Al–Si casting alloys have an important role in the field of cast aluminium alloys.
One of them is the A356 aluminium alloy, which has been widely used in the
automobile, aerospace, and engineering industries because of its excellent cast
ability, weld ability, high corrosion resistance, and various other desirable
properties. Currently, the hypoeutectic alloy A356 (Al–7% Si–0.3% Mg) is used
as a casting wheel product that is commonly used in the automotive. However,
as-cast A356 aluminium alloy consists of coarse primary α-Al dendrites and
acicular-shaped eutectic silicon, which degrades the mechanical properties and
limits its industrial applications. The mechanical properties are determined by
controlling the microstructure of the alloy. [1].

1
Current address: R&D Laboratory for Metallurgy, PT. Chemco Harapan Nusantara
Kawasan Industri Mitra Karawang, 413632, Jawa Barat, Indonesia.

Copyright © 2023 Published by ITB, ISSN: 2963-718X 40

The Effect of Element (Sr, Ti, B, and Mg) 41

Currently, casting wheel A356 aluminium alloy is processed through gravity die
casting (GDC) and low-pressure die casting (LPDC) techniques. The composition
of the metal alloy, casting process technique, cooling rate, and heat treatment will
influence the high-quality of casting wheel. The high requirements of casting
wheels specification standard are Ultimate Tensile Strength: min. 277 MPa, Yield
Strength: min. 200 MPa, Elongation: min. 7-12 %, and Hardness: 80 – 95 HB
[2][3]. According to ASTM B108 standard, A356 aluminium alloy material after
the heat treatment process T6 has mechanical properties for Ultimate Tensile
Strength min. 260 MPa, Yield Strength min. 150 MPa, and elongation min. 3%
[4]. It demonstrates that increasing the strength through heat treatment is
achievable, nonetheless the ductility of the A356 aluminium alloy is still poor,
this needs to be accomplished.

The parameters affecting the microstructure, strength, and ductility of as-cast

alloys are complex from a metallurgical perspective. The resulting
microstructure, depending on solidification processing variables, heat treatment,
and the addition of alloying elements. Strength will increase with a reduction in
grain size only if the production of small grains does not increase the amount of
micro porosity and the percentage of second phase. In order to improve the
quality of cast Al alloys, grain refinement has generally been employed to
decrease grain size and modify grain morphology from columnar to equiaxed, for
example, by adding Ti and B. Some researchers observed that adding relatively
small amounts of Sr can also modify the eutectic structure [5][6]. In order to
create Mg-Si precipitates, Mg is a key alloying element added to Al-Si alloys.
[7]. Therefore, the modifier is expected to result in a finer equiaxed structure,
which improves secondary phase dispersion, castability, and mechanical
characteristics. It also increases feed during solidification and lowers shrinkage
porosity [8].

Adding grain refiners to casting processes for aluminium alloys is a common way
to achieve grain refinement. According to some published research, grain refiners
with particles of TiAl3, TiB2, and AlB2 refine aluminium alloys more effectively
than those with only a single particle [9][10]. The effective on grain refinement
of aluminium alloys have been observed through the addition of Al–Ti–B refiner.
By addition of Sr will modify the eutectic silicon microstructure which can
improve the mechanical properties of the Al-Si alloy. Sr has been observed to
change the morphology of the eutectic Si phase from a coarse plate to a fine fibre-
like network [6][11]. Furthermore, through T6 heat treatment on A356 aluminium
alloy, the morphology of the eutectic silicon particles can alter from plate shape
to spherical. Thus, this morphology significantly affects the mechanical
properties of aluminium alloy, particularly its ductility [12][13]. However, prior
research concentrated on the modification mechanism and/or altering the heat
treatment process in order to increase the tensile strength and ductility. In this
article, it is our aim to study the influence of element Sr by adding AlSr15, after
that the effect of grain refiner by addition of ALTAB Ti80 and AlTi5B1 to form
Ti and B which influence on grain refinement, and Mg by adding Mg 99% Ingot
42 Afghany Mostavana, et al.

to form precipitate on matrix α phases. Heat treatment T6 from solution treatment

and aging treatment have been performed to modify the microstructure of A356
alloys and to improve the microhardness.

2 Experimental Method

2.1 Preparation
In this experiment, the A356 aluminium alloy ingot was melted in a 200 kg
electric resistance furnace at 720 ± 10 °C. The molten metal was treated with the
flux to remove impurities that cause slag to form at the melt's surface, and
nitrogen gas was used for a degassing process. Then, the liquid metal was poured
into a 1.25-kilogram capacity tiny crucible. The A0 (A356 aluminium alloy ingot
melt) melt is designed to be used as a baseline for comparison with additional
elements. The A356 aluminium alloy will then be changed by adding AlSr15
(0,75 gr.) for A1, ALTAB Ti80 (1,25 gr.) and AlSr15 (0,75 gr.) for A2, ALTAB
Ti80 (1,25 gr.), AlTi5B1 (1,5 gr.), and AlSr15 (0,75 gr.) for A3, and ALTAB Ti80
(1,25 gr.), AlTi5B1 (1,5 gr), Mg (1,5 gr), and AlSr15 (0,75 gr) for A4. Optical
Emission Spectroscopy (OES) Shimadzu was used to determine the chemical
compositions of the alloys, and the results are shown in Table 1/

Table 1 Chemical composition of experimental alloys analysed by OES

(wt.%).

CHEMICAL INGREDIENT (%)

ITEM
Si Mg Fe Mn Cu Zn Ti Sr
A0 (A356, base alloy) 7,05 0,43 0,09 0,002 0,002 0,02 0,14 0,010
A1 (A356 + AlSr15) 7,03 0,29 0,09 0,003 0,002 0,02 0,14 0,010
A2 (A356 + ALTAB Ti80 + AlSr15) 7,02 0,37 0,08 0,003 0,002 0,02 0,14 0,008
A3 (A356 + ALTAB Ti80 + AlTi5B1+ AlSr15) 7,04 0,38 0,09 0,003 0,002 0,02 0,14 0,008
A4 (A356 + ALTAB Ti80 + AlTi5B1+ AlSr15 + Mg) 6,96 0,48 0,09 0,003 0,002 0,02 0,14 0,010

2.2 Casting Process and Heat Treatment

According to ASTM B-108, the specimen test was carried out by pouring an
aluminium melt into a permanent mould. Two sample bars were generated from
each casting, as illustrated in Fig. 1. (a). The molten alloys are shown in Fig 1(b)
being brought into the crucible before being poured into the permanent mould
using the gravity casting technique. Before casting, the mould was heated to
300°C. For each of the A0, A1, A2, A3, and A4 conditions in Fig. 1(c), five
castings were made one after the other in 15 minutes. The T6 heat treatment,
which includes temperature of solution treatment and artificial aging, was applied
to the cast specimen test after it had been maintained at ambient conditions for at
least 24 hours. The first stage involved solution treatment for the solution
condition (530°C ± 20°C), which was immediately followed by an immediate
The Effect of Element (Sr, Ti, B, and Mg) 43

water quench to room temperature. The aging treatment (160°C ± 20°C) was then
carried out, and it was followed by air cooling.
a. b. c.
Riser

Sprue

Sample

Figure 1. (a) The Permanent Mould is made according to ASTM B-108,

(b) Manual gravity casting (c) Sample Test

2.3 Characterization
Specimen ϕ9 mm round test rod that has been split in half for microstructural
analysis. Using a Keyence optical microscope (OM), a. The specimens were
examined using OM after being ground using standard methods. After polishing
without employing an etching solution, OM observations were made, and the
results of metallography using OM were measured using the image J software
program. According to ASTMN E384 standard, the ratio of the long diagonal to
the short diagonal in the micro-Vickers hardness test is 7:1. This test is performed
using a Knoop Indenter in the shape of a pyramid to identify the two separate
diagonals, long and short. The properties obtained from 3 to 5 samples are the
basis for each data point presented with a standard deviation.

3 Results and Discussion

3.1 Microstructure
Figure 2 illustrates how the addition of Sr, Ti, B, and Mg affected the
microstructure of the as-cast A356 alloy. Due to the high solute content of the
alloys with an amount of Si of ~7 wt%, it was discovered that Al Phases were
dominating. As-cast A356 aluminum alloys modified with AlSr15, ALTAB Ti80,
AlTi5B1, and Mg are each shown in Fig. 2 with their different OM morphologies.
While the α–Al phase in the heat-treated condition exhibits dendritic
development into an equiaxed structure, the α–Al phase in the cast condition
exhibits coarse dendrite morphology. Primary α-Al phases and eutectic silicon
phases respond differently to heat treatment following solution treatment and
aging treatment than when mixed with as-cast A356 aluminum alloys. After
solution treatment, it was demonstrated that the eutectic silicon microstructure
may transform from fine fibrous to fine spherical structures. In comparison to
44 Afghany Mostavana, et al.

other samples, the aging treatment can significantly affect microstructure.

As Heat Treated As Heat Treated

SAMPLE AS CAST
After Solution Treatment After Aging Treatment

A0

A1

A2

A3

A4

Figure 2. shows the microstructures of the materials A0, A1, A2, A3, and A4 before (as cast),
after solution treatment, and after aging treatment (as heat treated), 1000x magnification.
The Effect of Element (Sr, Ti, B, and Mg) 45

In the A356 alloys with various combinations of Sr, Ti, B, and Mg, the optical
micrograph analysis in Fig. 3 illustrates the size area of the primary α–Al phase
and the Si eutectic phases, respectively. In the as-cast A356 alloy, the primary α–
Al phase exhibits coarse dendritic morphology, and the statistical distribution of
α–Al phase size area and Si eutectic phase size area were calculated using the
Image J program. Figure 3 demonstrates that the size of the α–Al phase area has
a comparatively small size in the as cast state compared to the combined
aluminium alloy, but the size of the Si eutectic phases area has a relatively big
size in the as cast state. In comparison to the AlTi5B1 or ALTAB Ti combination,
the distribution size area of the primary α-Al phase is slightly altered.

The distribution size area of the α -Al phase is unaffected by ALTAB Ti80 and
AlTi5B, which is in accordance with expectations that the A356 alloy will have
grain refinement. According to the majority of research, Al3Ti precipitates will
be created when Ti atoms in the A356 alloy react with Al atoms in the melt. Al3Ti
particle size increased with an increase in Ti content [14][15]. The initial α–Al
phase should therefore be able to be decreased by it. The size area distribution
after solution treatment and after aging treatment (as heat treat), the size area
distribution of α–Al phase on Fig 3 has increased compared to as cast and the size
area distribution of Si eutectic phase has decreased compared to as cast.
Therefore, the mechanical properties of cast aluminium alloys are depended on
grain size, phase distribution, secondary phase grain, and precipitation hardening.
 46 Afghany Mostavana, et al.

Item α – Aluminium Phase Distribution Eutectic silicon Phases Distribution

As - Cast

As Heat
Treated
After
Solution
Treatment

As Heat
Treated
After Aging
Treatment

Figure 3. The curve in the α phase size area distribution and the Si eutectic phase size area
distribution (as cast and as heat treated: After Solution Treatment and After Aging Treatment)

The microhardness between α–Al phase and Si eutectic phase in figure 4 shows
that in the as cast condition, the eutectic phase has a higher hardness than the α –
Al phase. After heat treatment, the microhardness increases in both phases and
the α – aluminium phase showed a higher hardness than the eutectic phase. This
is consistent with the several research that the effect of heat treatment T6 can
increase grain size. As a result of the addition of Mg the Mg2Si intermetallic
compound is formed which causes increased hardness.

According to Figure 4, which compares the microhardness of the Si eutectic phase

and the α - Al phase under as-cast conditions, the eutectic phase is harder than
the -aluminium phase. Figure 4 demonstrates that, under as-cast conditions, the
eutectic phase has a higher hardness than the α - Al phase after the addition of the
components Sr, Ti, B, and Mg via the material of AlTi5B1, ALTAB Ti80,
AlSr15, and Mg. The size area distribution of the α - Al phase on Fig. 4 has grown
The Effect of Element (Sr, Ti, B, and Mg) 47

compared to as cast, and the size area distribution of the Si eutectic phase has
decreased compared to as cast following heat treatment (as heat treat). As a result,
grain size, phase distribution, secondary phase grain, and precipitation hardening
all affect the mechanical properties of cast aluminium alloys.

As Cast

Sample A0

As Heat Treated
After Solution Treatment

Sample A0

As Heat Treated
After Aging Treatment

Sample A0

Figure 4. Results of Micro Vickers Hardness

(as cast and as heat treated: After Solution Treatment and After Aging Treatment)

4 Conclusions
The chemical composition of the A356 aluminum alloy did not alter significantly
with the addition of a mixture of components, including AlTi5B1, ALTAB Ti80,
AlSr15, and 99% Mg Ingot.
48 Afghany Mostavana, et al.

The results of the structural study demonstrated the impact of changing Sr to

produce Si precipitates with a fine fibrous morphology under as-cast
circumstances. The morphology of the precipitates changed to spheroidized Si
after the heat treatment (solution treatment and aging treatment).

Results from the Micro Vickers Hardness test reveal that the eutectic phase is
harder than the α-aluminum phase. The two phases' hardness increased after the
T6 heat treatment process, with the hardness of the α-aluminum phase increasing
significantly and exceeding the eutectic phase in hardness.

Acknowledgement
This study is a part of a dissertation for a PhD program at ITB supported by the
Mayasari Bakti Utama Foundation. The authors further acknowledge PT.
Chemco Harapan Nusantara for providing sample and experiment facilities.

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