Alsi17cu5mg alloy as future material for castings of pistons for internal combustion engines

The paper presents chosen properties and microstructure of AlSi17Cu5Mg alloy as future material for casting pistons in automotive industry. Tests were conducted to elaborate technology of preparation, assessment of crystallisation parameters and shaping the primary structure of the silumin with the aim to improve the working parameters and the functioning efficiency in cylinder-piston system. Refinement of Si crystals, achieved due to overheating above the temperature T_liq. causes that the alloy reaches satisfactory properties in working chamber of the engine are optimised. Such condition of material characteristics causes that hypereutectic silumins, for chosen applications in transport, may serve as an alternative to Al - Si alloys of hypoeutectic and near - eutectic type.