Effect of fatigue behavior on microstructural features in a cast Al-12Si-CuNiMg alloy under high cycle fatigue loading

High cycle fatigue tests of a cast Al-12Si-CuNiMg alloy are carried out under different stress amplitudes at room temperature. The scanning and transmission electron microscopy observations are used to examine the fracture surfaces and dislocation structures of the tested material, respectively. The results show that the fatigue damage originates from the microstructural defects, the fracture surface morphology is typical quasi-cleavage fracture. With the increasing strain amplitude, the material fatigue life obviously decreases; however, the dislocation density increases significantly, which leads to the formation of the dislocation walls and cells. Under the cycle loading, the eutectic Si phase and the secondary particles undergo fracture. The pinning effect of the precipitates on the dislocations becomes obvious, indicating that the Al-12Si-CuNiMg alloy has the cyclic hardening characteristic.