Impact Factor (2025): 6.9
DOI Prefix: 10.47001/IRJIET
Porosity is
a defect that often occurs in aluminum alloy casting which is difficult to
avoid, and is the most serious problem in aluminum casting. Porosity that
occurs during the casting process results in decreased product quality or the
product must be recycled. Generally, porosity in aluminum alloys is caused by
dissolved and entrapped hydrogen, or underfeeding. Degassiing is the process of
binding hydrogen compounds that occur in the aluminum metal smelting process.
Inert gases (Argon, Nitrogen, Helium) as inert gases are widely used for the degassing
process in aluminum smelting. Its function is as a shielding gas to minimize
the porosity that occurs when molten aluminum becomes solid. The process of
smelting and manufacturing casting products using used aluminum is carried out
using an LPG gas-fired smelting furnace. The degassing process in this study
was carried out using Argon gas, which was put directly into the aluminum melt
some time after the aluminum melted at 660°C. As long as Argon gas reacts with
Hydrogen gas bubbles will form that appear to the surface. The test samples
consisted of 6 cylinders with a diameter of 30 and a thickness of 20 mm, made
from used aluminum castings, which in the process of making casting products
used 500 grams of used aluminum with varying discharges of Argon gas, 0 ; 0.25
; 0.5 ; 0.75 ; 1 ; 1.25 liter/minute. The test sample was initially observed
visually, then several tests were carried out, including: hardness test,
density and porosity test, morphology/microstructure test using an optical
microscope, SEM-EDAX. Based on the results of observations and laboratory
tests, it is known that the porosity of aluminum casting products decreases
with increasing use of Argon gas in the degassing process, and also increases
the density and hardness of casting products. The addition of Argon gas to
melted aluminum increased the hardness of aluminum by 8,52 %.
Country : Indonesia
IRJIET, Volume 7, Issue 11, November 2023 pp. 595-602