The Journal of
the Korean Journal of Metals and Materials

The Journal of
the Korean Journal of Metals and Materials

Monthly
  • pISSN : 1738-8228
  • eISSN : 2288-8241

Editorial Office

Title Effect of Sr addition on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Al-Si/Cu Bimetals
Authors 임하윤(Ha-Yoon Lim) ; 김병주(Byung-Joo Kim) ; 천현석(Hyun-Seok Cheon) ; 김수현(Su-Hyeon Kim) ; 이욱진(Wook-Jin Lee)
DOI https://doi.org/10.3365/KJMM.2026.64.1.1
Page pp.1-13
ISSN 1738-8228(ISSN), 2288-8241(eISSN)
Keywords Al-Si/Cu bimetal; Sr addition; Compound casting; Intermetallic compound; Multi-phase layer; Eutectic structure
Abstract This study examined the influence of Sr addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al?Si/Cu bimetals fabricated by compound casting. Particular emphasis was placed on the multi-phase layer that formed beyond the intermetallic compound layer at the Al?Si/Cu interface. While most previous research has primarily highlighted how the thickness of the intermetallic compound layer affected mechanical performance, the present work focused on modification of eutectic phases in the multiphase region and their impact on overall material behavior. The addition of Sr to the Al-Si alloy did not produce major changes in the intermetallic compound layer itself. However, it significantly refined and homogenized the eutectic phases in the multi-phase region, leading to a finer and more uniformly distributed microstructure. Compression testing demonstrated that the bimetals containing Sr exhibited both higher strength and greater elongation compared to those without Sr. Furthermore, a clear transition in fracture behavior was observed: cracks that used to propagate rapidly along brittle intermetallic compound phases in the Sr-free bimetals were delayed and gradually deflected through the interfaces in the Sr-modified bimetals. Overall, the results demonstrate that controlling eutectic phases in the multiphase layer, combined with compound casting, provides an effective strategy to optimize microstructure and improve the mechanical reliability of the Al?Si/Cu bimetals.