Investigation of the Effects of Solution Rapid Treatment on Wear Properties of AlSi10Mg Alloy

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the tribological response of laser powder bed-fused AlSi10Mg after an innovative rapid T6 heat treatment and to compare it with that of as-built and conventional T6 conditions. Four rapid T6 routes, each with a significantly shortened solutionization time (5–10 min at 510–540°C + aging), were compared with the standard T6 route (540°C, 2 h + aging). Microstructure (optical microscopy, SEM, and XRD), hardness, and dry sliding wear performance (ball-on-flat reciprocating, WC ball, 2 N, 25 m) were analyzed using friction curves and wear volume measurements, supported by 3D wear-track profiling and SEM investigations of wear tracks. Rapid T6 routes produced a refined, homogeneous distribution of spheroidized Si, with hardness higher than that of conventional T6. The rapid T6 routes using 5 min solutionization showed the lowest wear volume, whereas conventional T6 exhibited ~ 50% greater wear volume loss than the as-built state due to Si coarsening and matrix softening. Almost all rapid T6 conditions, except 10 minutes at 510°C, improved wear resistance relative to conventional T6, and the optimal rapid T6 route (540°C, 5 minutes) achieved approximately 40% better wear performance. In general, the wear damage was primarily caused by oxidation and abrasion. This study demonstrates that rapid T6 provides a time- and energy-efficient post-processing route that improves wear resistance against sliding wear conditions.