Precipitation Hardening and Effect of Surface Layer on the Fatigue Strength of an Al-1.2mass% Si Alloy

Dependence of precipitation hardening on the distance from specimen surface and effect of the surface layer on the fatigue strength of an Al-1.2mass% Si alloy were studied by microhardness test, transmission electron microscopy and repeated tension fatigue test. Rate of age-hardening was slower in the vicinity of surface than in the interior of the specimen aged at 423K after quenching from 853K. The result of the electron microscopy was that the size ot Si precipitates formed in the vicinity of surface was smaller than in the interior of specimen aged for 6ks at 423K. This difference was considered to be caused by the effect of the surface as vacancy sinks which slowed down the growh of Si precipitates in the vicinity of the specimen surface. A specimen surface layer whose hardness was different from that of the specimen interior was formed at the vicinity of the surface when the specimen was aged at relatively low temperature such as 423K. The fatigue strength in repeated tensile test ot the specimen did not depend on whether the specimen surface layer was present or not.