Castability and mechanical properties of new 7xxx aluminum alloys for automotive chassis/body applications

To develop an aluminum alloy that combines excellent mechanical properties with good castability for near-net-shape casting of automotive structural parts, new Cu–free medium Mg 7xxx aluminum alloys with minor Zr (0.1%) and Ti (0, 0.1, and 0.2%) (all contents in wt% unless stated otherwise) elemental content were investigated as potential candidates. The effects of a vulnerable temperature interval and grain refinement on the hot tearing susceptibility (HTS) were investigated in this work to prevent hot tearing. Al–6Zn–(1.3–1.5)Mg–0.1Zr–(0.1–0.2)Ti alloys show 140–150% of ultimate tensile strength (370–390 MPa), 150–180% of elongation (10–12%), 60–80% of medium-thick-wall fluidity, and equivalent thin-wall fluidity, compared to the respective properties of the commercial A356 alloy. Medium-thick-wall fluidity depended on the heat release upon solidification of the alloy investigated, and thin-wall fluidity depended on the surface energy of the alloy in molten state. When the Ti content was increased, a concave variation in the medium-thick-wall fluidity and a monotonic increase in the thin-wall fluidity were observed. In terms of hot tearing, Ti addition led to a decrease in the HTS, which eventually reached zero. By adding 3% Si, hot tearing could be prevented; however, at the same time, elongation was found to decrease to less than 4%. The grain size reduction and morphology alteration due to the combined addition of 0.2% Ti and 0.1% Zr led to an improvement in castability because of a delay in crystal coherency, decrease in solidification time and vulnerable time period, and suppression of Fe-containing intermetallic and T phase crystallization.