High strain rate behavior of aluminum die cast components

Research results of static and dynamic mechanical tests (ɛ = 1 * 10-3 s-1 and ɛ ~ 5 * 102 s-1 conducted on samples obtained from three different die cast products (component A, B and C) of AlSi10MnMg alloy are reported. All the components have thin-walled geometry except some thicker positions of component C. The dynamic (high strain rate) mechanical characterization shows an increase of tensile properties, in respect to static tensile ones (tensile strength increases approximately 15%, and the yield strength 30%, for all the die cast components) together with an evident plastic deformation, with consequent necked region in the fractured section, substantially negligible in case of static tensile tests. Moreover, fractographic observations are conducted on specimens undergone static and high strain rate test conditions, to observe the fracture morphology, together with metallographic analysis on the only polished or etched transverse specimens to reveal the porosity, and the microstructure of dendrite and inter-dendrite morphologies.