Influence of heat treatment on the microstructure of a sintered bronze-aluminum alloy

Abstract

When processed conventionally, aluminum-bronze alloys with high mechanical strength require machining after the raw state of fusion, and the waste (chips), if not reused, can cause problems for the environment and costs for the company. Therefore, this article proposes an alternative for recycling aluminum bronze through the new route via Powder Metallurgy (PM), analyzing the resulting microstructure. This study compares the microstructures of the aluminum bronze derived from extraction (the samples received - SR) and the state after the powder metallurgy (PM) process with the addition of vanadium carbides (VC). The study also analyzes the distribution of VC in the microstructure of the PM composite as well as the influence of the TQ30 heat treatment on this composite. For the PM process, aluminum alloy and bronze chips were ground together with vanadium carbide (VC) in a high-energy mill for 50 hours. The powders obtained were pressed uniaxially (400 MPa) to achieve good compaction. The samples were then sintered (900°C/lh), water quenched (900°C/2h), and subjected to treatment according to the TQ30 standard, which, in addition to the previous treatments, also includes tempering at 500°C for 2 hours (ASTM B150/B150M-12 standard). The microstructure observed in the SR samples was martensitic (in needles), with secondary phases dispersed in the matrix. On the other hand, the microstructure of the PM samples showed equiaxed grains of the alpha phase (a), as well as the secondary phases kapa (k) and beta line (β¹), in contrast to the needle-shaped microstructure of the conventional melting process.

Keywords:
Aluminum bronze; sintering process; powder metallurgy; micro-structure; composite