On the relationship between microcasting process, material states and mechanical properties in the gold alloy Stabilor® G

The present study reports on the microstructural state and mechanical properties of cast microcomponents made from the commercial Au-alloy; Stabilor (R) G. Microscopy methods such as optical light-, scanning- and transmission-electron microscopy were used to obtain a variety of microstructural properties from the micro-specimens. The mechanical properties of the cast micro-specimens were determined by tensile testing on a universal micro-testing device. These properties obtained for Stabilor (R) G microspecimens were found to depend on the casting method and thermal condition applied during and after the production process. The microstructure and mechanical attributes of the specimens were used to develop a model which makes it possible to predict the yield stress of the cast specimens from only the structural properties namely grain size and precipitate particle size. The individual influences of the strengthening factors in the specimens, such as grain boundary and precipitates, were determined. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.