Investigation of the Effect of Vanadium Addition on Mechanical Properties in A356 Aluminum Casting Alloys

The superior properties of aluminum alloys are further improved by the addition of different elements and gain new qualities. In the aluminum casting industry, vanadium (V) addition plays an important role to improve the mechanical and physical properties of these alloys. In this study, different amounts of V (0.03%, 0.06% and 0.1%) were added to A356 alloy, and its effects on mechanical properties and microstructure were investigated experimentally. The liquid metal degassing process was applied in all experiments in order not to affect the results of gases and inclusions in the liquid metal before casting. In the study, degassing was assessed by the Reduced Pressure Test (RPT). Tensile and hardness test specimens were performed with specimens obtained from mechanical test molds. When the results were examined, the elongation amount, which was 2.7% in A356 casting without addition, increased with the addition of V and reached a maximum value of 7.6% with 0.1% V addition. Tensile stress values were 137 MPa in A356 castings without addition, 159 MPa with 0.03% V addition, 168 MPa with 0.06% V addition and increased up to 185 MPa with 0.1% V addition.