TRANSPORT PROBLEMS 2016 Volume 11 Issue 2

PROBLEMY TRANSPORTU DOI: 10.20858/tp.2016.11.2.11

recycling of aluminium alloys; secondary aluminium alloys; aluminium in transportation industry

Lenka KUCHARIKOVÁ*, Eva TILLOVÁ, Otakar BOKŮVKA

University of Žilina, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Materials Engineering
Univerzitná 8215/1, 010 26 Žilina, Slovak Republic
*Corresponding author. E-mail: lenka.kucharikova@fstroj.uniza.sk

RECYCLING AND PROPERTIES OF RECYCLED ALUMINIUM ALLOYS

USED IN THE TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY
Summary. Nowadays, a transportation industry creates a lot of metal scrap because
production and use of cars are on the increase worldwide. This is based on the fact that
increase in the production of cars increases usage of aluminium alloys in transportation
applications. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the production of components from
primary aluminium alloy and increase their replacement with secondary—recycled—
aluminium alloys because the production of recycled aluminium alloys is less expensive
and less energy-intensive than the creation of new aluminium alloy through the electrolysis.
In addition, the recycled aluminium alloys have comparable microstructural parameters
and properties as the same primary aluminium alloys.

RECYCLING UND EIGENSCHAFTEN VON SEKUNDÄRALUMINIUM

LEGIERUNGEN FÜR VERKEHRSINDUSTRIE
Zusammenfassung. Dank weltweiter Produktionserhöhung und Benutzung der
Fahrzeuge produziert die Verkehrsindustrie heute viel Metallabfall. Wie steigert die
Fahrzeugerzeugung, so steigert auch die Benutzung von Aluminiumlegierungen. Es ist
nötig, die Produktion von Aluminiumprodukten aus Primäraluminium zu reduzieren. Die
Produkte müssen also durch die Produkte aus Sekundäraluminium eingesetzt werden.
Während die Schmelzflusselektrolyse bei der Gewinnung von Aluminium aus Bauxit 100
Prozent Energie verbraucht, sind es beim Recycling etwa vier bis sechs Prozent. Das
Aluminium-Recycling leistet deshalb einen beträchtlichen Beitrag zur Einsparung von
Energie, und dient damit gleichzeitig auch dem Umweltschutz. Noch dazu, die
Legierungen vom Sekundäraluminium haben vergleichbare Eigenschaften wie dieselben
Legierungen von Primäraluminium.

1. INTRODUCTION

The transportation industry is one of the largest energy consuming sectors, using about 19% of the
world’s energy demands [1]. Car production has been increasing and it is important to reduce the energy
cost, greenhouse effects, problems to the environment, etc., associated with casting from primary
aluminium alloys. A survey by the Automotive Recyclers Association shows that each year the industry
collects, reuses and recycles about 382 million litres of gasoline and diesel fuel, 90 million litres of
motor oil, 30 million litres of engine coolant; 17 million litres of windshield washer fluid, and about
96% of all lead acid batteries [2]. These facts underline the need to search for possibilities for decreasing
energy consumption of automotive producers [3-5].
118 L. Kuchariková, E. Tillová, O. Bokůvka

The total energy consumption during the life cycle of a car can be summarised into four main stages:
raw material processing, car manufacturing, car use and car recovery (Fig. 1) [3]. The great objectives
of the European Union for the year 2015 was that 85% of the car weight would be re-used or recycled,
10% used to recover energy and 5% for scrap [6]. Nowadays, manufacturers currently use about 35%
of secondary aluminium and about 65% of primary aluminium to meet their needs [7]. It is important to
note that the production of aluminium as “secondary metal” (producing it by recycling) requires only
about 2.8 kWh/kg of metal produced while primary aluminium production requires about 45 kWh/kg of
metal produced. The 95% energy saving are a powerful economic incentive [8-9].

Energy and Materials Emissions and Wastes

Materials Processing Manufacturing Use Recovery

Re-use
Remanufacture
Recycle

Fig. 1. Car life cycle [10]

Bild. 1. Auto-Lebenszyklus [10]
Table 1
The proportion of recycled material and their probable amount up to year 2030 [6]

The proportion of recycled material in year [%]

Materials
1997 2000 2005 2030
Steel 70 80 87 90
Cast iron 70 80 87 90
Wrought aluminium 85 90 93 93
Cast aluminium 85 90 90 90
Plastics 20 50 80 90

Fig. 2. Estimated GHG reductions per vehicle recycled [2]

Bild. 2. Geschätzte THG-Reduktionen pro Recycling Fahrzeug [2]

Researches show that the amount of recycled material increases over the years (Table 1). It is very
important because recycling aluminium prevents more than 90 million tons of carbon dioxide from being
released into the atmosphere each year [6, 7]. The automotive recycling industry reduces greenhouse
gas emissions (GHG) (Fig. 2), as well as air and water pollution [2]. The amount of aluminium used per
Recycling and properties of recycled aluminium alloys used… 119

car produced in Europe almost tripled between 1990 and 2012, increasing from 50 kg to 140 kg. This
amount is predicted to rise to 160 kg by 2020, and even reach as much as 180 kg if small and medium
cars follow the evolution recorded in the upper segments of the automobile industry [1]. For the
aluminium industry, it is appropriate to identify, develop and implement all technologies that will
optimise the benefits of recycling because the automotive industry is the second-largest user of recycled
aluminium [7,11].
Following these facts the research and development deal with properties and the microstructure of
secondary aluminium alloys, which are used in engine construction, engine blocks, cylinder heads,
carburettors, transmission housing, etc. [12,13].

2. INFLUENCE OF RECYCLING OF ALUMINIUM ALLOYS ON THEIR PROPERTIES

An example of the effect of recycling on properties and the microstructure of A226 cast aluminium
alloy (AlSi9Cu3) is in this work. The A226 cast alloy has a lower corrosion resistance and is suitable
for high-temperature applications (dynamic exposed casts, where the requirements of mechanical
properties are not so high)—it means to max. 250°C. The chemical composition of primary A226 cast
alloy obtained from standard EN 1706 [14] and secondary aluminium alloy (experimental material)
according to results with using an arc spark spectroscopy are shown in Table 2.

Table 2
Chemical composition of primary and secondary A226 cast alloy (in weight %) [14]
Elements Si Cu Mn Zn Mg Ni Pb Fe Ti Sn Cr other Al
8.0 2.0 0.15 0.6
Primary A226
÷ ÷ 0.55 1.20 ÷ 0.55 0.35 ÷ 0.20 0.15 0.15 0.25 rest
(EN 1706)
11.0 4.0 0.55 1.1
Secondary A226 9.4 2.4 0.24 1.0 0.28 0.05 0.09 0.9 0.04 0.03 0.04 - rest

The secondary alloy (prepared by recycling aluminium scrap) was received in the form of 12.5 kg
ingots (Fig. 3). Experimental material was molten into the permanent mould (chill casting), which were
preheated to 250°C (Fig. 3). The melting temperature was maintained at 760°C ± 5°C. Molten metal
was purified with salt AlCu4B6 before casting and was not modified or grain refined. The A226 castings
were not heat treated, too.

a) b) c)

Fig. 3. Production of experimental material A226 cast alloy: a) aluminium scrap; b) ingot of experimental material;
c) permanent mould and cast of A226
Bild. 3. Produktion von Versuchsmaterial A226-Gusslegierung, a) Aluminiumschrott; b) Gussblock von
Versuchsmaterial; c) Dauerform und Guss von A226

The need for aluminium alloys having a good toughness, high strength, adequate damage tolerance
capability, good fatigue resistance and good corrosion resistance for use in applications in the industries
of aerospace, automotive and even commercial products led to a study of the properties and structure of
these materials. Generally, the mechanical and microstructural properties of aluminium cast alloys are
dependent on the composition; melt treatment conditions, solidification rate, casting process and the
applied thermal treatment [15, 16]. The mechanical properties of cast component are mostly determined
120 L. Kuchariková, E. Tillová, O. Bokůvka

by the shape and distribution of Si particles and intermetallic phases in α-matrix [17]. When will there
be possibilities of increasing the mechanical properties of aluminium so it will have larger application
fields of complex cast aluminium components [16]? The experimental tensile and hardness specimens
for an experimental procedure were made from the casting (Fig. 3c) with turning and milling operations.
Mechanical properties were measured according to the standards: EN ISO 6892-1 and EN ISO 6506-1
[18, 19]. Hardness measurement for secondary aluminium alloy was performed by a Brinell hardness
tester with a load of 62.5 kp, 2.5 mm diameter ball and a dwell time of 15 s. The evaluated Brinell
hardness reflect average values of at least six separate measurements. Tensile strength was measured on
testing machine ZDM 30. The evaluated Rm and A5 reflect average values of at least six separate bars.
The results of mechanical properties are documented in Tab. 3.
Table 3
The mechanical properties of both materials [14]
Mechanical properties
Material
Tensile strength Rm Elongation A5 Brinell hardness
Primary A226 (EN 1706) 240 ÷ 310 MPa 0.5 ÷ 3% 80 ÷ 120 HBS
Secondary A226 211 MPa 1% 98 HBS

The results of mechanical properties of secondary A226 cast alloy show that this material has lower
values of mechanical properties in comparison with primary aluminium alloy. However, mechanical
properties depend upon the microstructure of the material and, therefore, the evaluation of
microstructure was carried out [16, 17].

a) b)

c) d)

Fig. 4. The microstructure of A226 cast alloy, etch. Dix-Keller. a) α-phase (α-Al) and eutectic mixture of Al-Si;
b) Al-Al2Cu-Si phase; c) β-Al5FeSi phase; d) α – Al15(FeMn)3Si2 phase
Bild. 4. Gefüge von A226 Gusslegierung, ätzen. Dix-Keller. a) α-Phase (α-Al und eutektische Mischung von Al-
Si; b) Al-Al2Cu-Si Phase; c) β-Al5FeSi Phase; d) α – Al15(FeMn)3Si2 Phase

The microstructure of hypoeutectic A226 cast alloy is given by the binary diagram; therefore, its
expected formation is α-phase (α-Al), eutectic mixture of Al-Si and various types of intermetallic phases.
The amount and forms of the eutectic mixture in the microstructure of aluminium alloys depend on the
Recycling and properties of recycled aluminium alloys used… 121

level of Si. The morphology of Si-particles is plate-like when the material is beside the influence of
modification, heat treatment, etc. The most common intermetallic phases in primary Al-Si-Cu alloys
are, for example, Al2Cu, Mg2Si, α-Al12(Fe,Mn)3Si2 and β-Al5FeSi [20, 21]. These facts point out that
microstructural features are products of metal chemistry and solidification conditions; therefore, the real
microstructure of secondary aluminium alloys can be different.
The microstructure evaluation shows that secondary A226 cast alloy microstructure consists of α-Al
dendrites mixture surrounded by the Al-Si mixture and intermetallic phases (Fig. 4). The presence of
Cu, Mg and Fe in the alloy leads to a formation of various intermetallic compounds in the microstructure
of the alloy [Al-Al2Cu-Si, β-Al5FeSi, α – Al15(FeMn)3Si2] (Fig. 4). Experimental material was not
modified and so eutectic Si particles are in a form of platelets, which on the metallographic sample are
in a form of grey needles (Fig. 4). The Al-Al2Cu-Si phase is observed in very fine multi-phase eutectic-
like deposits (Fig. 4b – marked with an arrow). The Al5FeSi with the monoclinic crystal structure
(known as beta- or β-phase) and Al15(Mn,Fe)3Si2 (known as alpha- or α-phase) with cubic crystal
structure were observed in the secondary experimental material. The first phase (Al5FeSi) precipitates
in the interdendritic and intergranular regions as platelets (appearing as needles on the metallographic
sample, Fig. 4c – marked with an arrow). The Al15(FeMn)3Si2 were observed in form “skeleton like” or
in form „Chinese script“ (Fig. 4d – marked with an arrow).

3. CONCLUSION

The results present in this work show that the production of secondary aluminium alloys is much
more worthy in comparison with the production of primary aluminium alloy. The production of
secondary aluminium alloy is better because aluminium recycling saves energy; recycling aluminium
makes use of a valuable commodity; recycling aluminium reduces your carbon footprint; recycling
aluminium helps satisfy an increasing demand; etc.
The work shows that aluminium can be easily and endlessly recycled without quality loss. The
chemical composition and the mechanical properties of the secondary experimental material are
comparable with properties which are required from primary alloy. The evaluation of the microstructure
shows that secondary material contains the some structural components as the primary alloy. The silicon
particles were in form needles (plate-like) form, and in the microstructure were observed brittle and
undesirable Fe-intermetallic phases and Cu-intermetallic phases which are desirable in order to obtain
better mechanical properties after some technological processes (e.g. heat treatment).
In the end it is very important not to forget that most of the aluminium being produced today enters
long-life products like vehicles and building products. With average lifetimes of about 15 to 20 years
for vehicles and 40 to 50 years for buildings, most of the aluminium will not be available for recycling
for many years. As a result, access to aluminium scrap is limited [1].

Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the financial support of the projects VEGA No. 1/0533/15, KEGA No. 044ŽU-
4/2014.

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Received 21.03.2015; accepted in revised form 12.05.2016