Effects of Dead Sea Water and Severe Plastic Deformation on the Microhardness and Corrosion Resistance of Copper-Alloyed Aluminum
Abstract
Due to its lightweight, aluminum is frequently deployed in a variety of technical applications. Copper was added to aluminum at varying percentages, namely, 2, 4, and 6%, to improve its mechanical properties and resistance to corrosion. Following the copper additions and the upsetting process, microhardness was examined. Additionally, research was done on the effects of dead sea water on corrosion resistance and microhardness. It was found that the microhardness increased as the copper percentage increased in the as-cast process. A noticeable improvement in microhardness was achieved after the upsetting process, whereas a decrease in microhardness occurred after insertion in the Dead Sea water. Furthermore, microhardness rose as copper content increased. For example, a 2% Cu addition resulted in a 32% hardness enhancement, a 4% Cu addition resulted in a 160% hardness enhancement, and a 6% Cu addition yielded the most improvement, or about 242.7%, which resulted in corrosion resistance enhancement.