Improvement of Wear Resistance and Formation of Si Alloyed Layer on Aluminum Alloy by PTA Process

PTA법에 의한 Al 합금표면의 Si 합금층 형성과 내마모성 개선

The formation of thick alloyed layer with high Si content have been investigated on the surface of Al alloy (A5083) plate by PTA process with Si powder. Hardening characteristics and wear resistance of alloyed layer was examined in relation to the microstructure of alloyed layer. Thick hardened layer in mm-order thickness on the surface of A5083 plate can be formed by PTA process with wide range of process condition by using Si powder as alloying element because of eutectic reaction of Al-Si binary alloy. High temperature and rapid solidification rate of molten pool, which are features of PTA process, enable the formation of high Si content alloyed layer with uniform distribution of fine primary Si paticle. High plasma arc current was beneficial to make the alloyed layer with smooth surface appearance in wide range of powder feeding rate, because enough volume of molten pool was necessary make alloyed layer. Uniform dispersion of fine primary Si particle with about 30${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in particle size can be obtained in layer with Si content ranging from 30 to 50 mass %. Hardness of alloyed layer increased with increasing Si content, but increasing rate of hardness differed with macrostructure of alloyed layer. Wear resistance of alloyed layer depended on $V_{si}$(volume fraction of primary Si) and was remarkably improved to two times of base metal at 20-30% $V_{si}$ without cracking, but no more improvement was obtained at larger $V_{si}$.