Cast joining of cast iron to aluminium casting matrix

Abstract

The present study focused on reinforcing Al–Si–Cu alloy with a cast iron insert and using Zn–xAl–3Si–0·5Mg (wt-) intermediate alloys by the cast joining technique to take advantage of lightness and stiffness of the hybrid structure. The experimental set-up consisted of coating the insert using hot dipping method followed by immersing the coated insert into the Al melt and allowing the system to cool down to the room temperature. The quality of Al–Fe joints in terms of morphology, thickness, chemistry and microhardness was evaluated as a function of coating composition and immersion time in the Al melt. Characteristics of reaction layer at the coating/insert interface and its effects on the joint properties were determined using microstructural analysis and thermodynamic calculations. Combination of a suitable coating containing 27 wt-Al and optimised process parameters, including 1 min immersion time, resulted in the formation of an Al–Fe joint with promising characteristics.