Effect of Trace La Addition on the Microstructure and Mechanical Property of As-cast ADC12 Al-Alloy

The effects of addition of La on the microstructure of as-cast ADC12 A1-Alloy were investigated by using optical microscope （OM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron microscope （SEM）, and energy disperse spectroscopy （EDS）. The experimental results showed that the a-A1 and eutectic Si crystals were modified with the addition of 0.3 wt% La. The eutectic Si crystals showed a granular distribution. At the same time, the alloy possessed the best mechanical property. When more than 0.3 wt% La was added to ADC12 aluminum alloy, the microstructure of as-cast alloy was coarsening gradually with the increase of the content of La and the mechanical property decreased. The effect of rare earth La which was added in ADC 12 A1-Alloy for up to 0.9 wt% had been investigated in this study. The dendrites ofADC12 Al-alloy was refined obviously and the morphology of Si crystals showed a particle structure when the addition of La reached 0,3 wt%. Besides, the acicular La-rich intermetallics in the alloy deteriorated the mechanical property of alloy： To avoid this unwanted phase, the amount of added rare earth La must be less than 0.6 wt%.

Aging behavior of nano-SiC_p reinforced AZ61 magnesium matrix composites

The mechanical properties of magnesium matrix composties can be further improved by aging treatment. To study the aging behavior of SiC particles reinforced AZ61 magnesium matrix composites fabricated by ultrasonic method, an investigation has been undertaken by means of Vickers hardness measurement, scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and energy spectrum analyzing apparatus. The box-type heat treatment furnace was used in the study. The results showed that no discontinuous cellular precipitation is observed at the grain boundaries in the magnesium matrix of the composite while the MglTAI12 preferentially precipitates in the matrix. The time to reach the peak hardness for AZ61 alloy or SiCp/AZ61 magnesium matrix composites is reduced with the increase of aging temperature. At the same temperature, the composite exhibit an accelerated aging manner but lower aging efficiency, compared with the unreinforced matrix alloy. The microhardness of the composite is higher than that of the unreinforced matrix alloy, because that the SiC particles distributes homogeneously in the matrix alloy under the ultrasonic processing condition.

Effect of sample diameter on primary and secondary dendrite arm spacings during directional solidification of Pb-26wt.%Bi hypo-peritectic alloy

The microstructure scales of dendrites, such as primary and secondary dendrite arm spacings, control the segregation profiles and the formation of secondary phases within interdendritic regions, which determine the properties of solidified structures. Investigations on primary and secondary dendrite arm spacings of primary a-phase during directionally solidified Pb-26wt%Bi hypo-peritectic alloy were carried out in this research, and systematic studies were conducted using cylindrical samples with different diameters （Ф = 1.8 and 7.0 mm） in order to analyze the effects of sample diameter on the primary and secondary dendrite arm spacings. In this work, the dependence of dendrite arm spacings on growth velocity was established. In addition, the experimental data concerning the primary and secondary dendrite ann spacings were compared with the main predictive dendritic models from the literatures. A comparison between experimental results for dendrite arm spacings of the 1.8-mm-diameter sample and 7.0-ram-diameter sample was also conducted.

Thermodynamics and Kinetics of in-situ Formation of TiAl_3/7075 Composites

The thermodynamics and kinetics of the reaction between Titanium powder and 7075 aluminum alloy were investigated to assess the possibility of preparing TiA1J7075 composites by in-situ synthesis method. Results show that Ti and A1 melt can form TiA13 spontaneously, which is considered as a reinforced phase of the matrix. Measurements such as XRD, SEM, and EDX were performed to characterize the as-synthesized samples, and results confirmed the formation of TiA13 in aluminum matrix composites. The reactive kinetics was controlled by three main factors, which are the system temperature, particle size of Ti, and the thickness of external diffusion layer.

Thixotropic compression deformation behavior of SiC_p/AZ61 magnesium matrix composites

Compression tests on semi-solid SiCp/AZ61 magnesium matrix composites were carried out using Thermecmastor-Z dynamic material testing machine.Influences of strain-rate,strain,temperature and volume fraction of SiC particles on flow stress were analyzed.The results show that the flow stress of semi-solid SiCp/AZ61 composites is sensitive to temperature and strain rate.The lower the temperature and the larger the strain rate,the higher the flow stress.Meanwhile the flow stress increases with the increase of the volume fraction of SiC particles.This study helps establish the constitutive model of magnesium matrix composites and offers theoretic and experimental references for its thixoforming.

Structure evolution of AZ61 magnesium alloy in SIMA process

The effect of prior compressive deformation, isothermal temperature and holding time on the structure of AZ61 magnesium alloy fabricated by strain-induced melt activation(SIMA) processing was investigated. The specimens were subjected under deformation ratios of 0%, 22% and 40% and various heat treatment time and temperature regions. The results indicate that the ideal technological parameters of semi-solid AZ61 alloy produced with non-dendrites are recommended as 22% (prior compressive deformation), 595 ℃ (heat treatment temperature) and 40 min(time). The as-cast AZ61 magnesium alloy isn't fit for semi-solid forming.

FLOW STRESS MODEL FOR HARD MACHINING OF AISI H13 WORK TOOL STEEL

An approach is presented to characterize the stress response of workpiece in hard machining, accounted for the effect of the initial workpiece hardness, temperature, strain and strain rate on flow stress. AISI H13 work tool steel was chosen to verify this methodology. The proposed flow stress model demonstrates a good agreement with data collected from published experiments. Therefore, the proposed model can be used to predict the corresponding flow stress-strain response of AISI H13 work tool steel with variation of the initial workpiece hardness in hard machining.

Upper bound analysis of thixotropic extrusion processes of semi-solid magnesium alloys

The methodology was used to conduct the upper bound analysis of thixotropic extrusion process of semi-solid metal. The calculated formulas of deformed power were derived. The relationship among relative stress, frictional factor and die semi-angle were obtained. The relative stress increases with increasing frictional factor, whose value increases with increasing area reduction ratio of a certain die semi-angle. The relative stress firstly decreases and then increases with increasing die semi-angle at a certain area reduction ratio. So, the optimal die semi-angle exists with the corresponding minimum relative stress. The calculated results are in agreement with the experimental ones, which are applied to directing technological practice of axis-symmetry forward extrusion of semi-solid magnesium alloys.