Enhancement of liquid phase sintering through Al-Si additions to Al-Cu systems

Aluminum alloys effective sintering usually needs a liquid phase, to disrupt the oxide layer that covers the aluminum particles. In this sense, it is widely known that the addition of traces of some elements can enhance the liquid phase's wettability, which is the main condition for a successful liquid phase sintering. In the present work, the effect of adding a eutectic Al-Si alloy to an Al-Cu 2xxx series alloy is studied. This alloy, is added to prealloyed powders as well as to premix powders with the same composition, analyze the effect of a second liquid phase coming from the melting of the Al-Si alloy, on supersolidus liquid phase sintering (prealloyed powders) and liquid phase sintering (premix powders).