Influence of Antimony Modification and Heat Treatment on the AlSi9CuMnNi Alloy

Modification of alloys is an important part of the metallurgical process, and this also applies to aluminum alloys, particularly for Al-Si (silumins). As a modification of the material we can utilise the modification using the selected element or heat treatment of alloys, or a combination of both processes. One of the elements that it is possible to modify the alloy of Al-Si used is antimony (Sb). The paper examines the possible effect of the modification of that element and heat treatment on the final structure of the alloy AlSi9CuMnNi and other selected properties after machining. In the experiments three castings from the alloy AlSi9CuMnNi were made without modification, three castings with the modification and without heat treatment, three castings with modification and without heat treatment, and three castings with modifi-cation and heat treatment. The described experiment and analysis are part of extensive research undertaken at Faculty of Production Technology and Management, J. E. Purkyně University in Ústínad Labem.