Sensitivity Analysis of Solutioning Time, Ageing Temperature, and Clay Nano-Particles Addition on Hardness of Piston Aluminum-Silicon Alloy using Regression Method

In this article, the sensitivity analysis of heat treatment parameters including the solutioning time, ageing temperature, and addition of nano-particles on the hardness of the piston aluminum-silicon alloy (AlSi12CuNiMg) were characterized using regression analysis method. For such an objective, the clay nano-particles with 1 wt. % were used to fabricate the metal-matrix nano-composites and the standard specimens were produced using the gravity and stir-casting methods. To find the superior heat treatment conditions for aiming the maximum hardness, the solution treatment was performed at 500 ℃ for 1, 3, and 5 hours and the ageing treatment was done at 200, 215, and 230 ℃ for 6 hours on the base alloy and the metal-matrix nano-composites. Experimental results showed that the ageing treatment had the most effect on the material hardness and the solutioning time and nano-particles addition were the less effective parameters on the alloy hardness. The optimum heat treatment conditions achieved by the solutioning time of 5 hours and the ageing temperature of 200 ℃, during heat-treating which led to have the maximum hardness.