Effects of stress concentration on low-temperature fracture behavior of A356 alloy

The effect of stress concentration on the dislocation motion, the Si particles and the crack propagation path in A356 alloy at the temperature of 20 °C to −60 °C was analyzed by scanning electron microscope and optical microscope using a series of notched tensile specimens and normal tensile specimens. The results show that the sensitivity of A356 alloy to the stress concentration increases, the tensile strength and yield strength of normal specimens and notched specimens increase, and the elongation shows a decreasing trend with the decrease of test temperature from 20 °C to −60 °C. The yield strength is not affected by the notch, and the tensile strength is sensitive to the stress concentration. Stress concentration leads to a large number of dislocation generation. Local plastic deformation occurred in the stress concentration region during the tensile process firstly. With the stress concentration in the aluminum matrix between the Si phase and the crack further increasing, the distribution of cracks along the Si phase leads to the cracking of aluminum matrix particle.