Characterization on the formation of porosity and tensile properties prediction in die casting Mg alloys

The 3D visualization of the porosity in high-pressure die casting(HPDC)Mg alloys AZ91D and Mg4Ce2Al0.5Mn(EA42)was investigated by X-ray computed tomography.It was demonstrated that the volumetric porosity at the near-gate location for alloy EA42 was significantly higher than that far from the gate location.This difference resulted from the low valid time during intensified casting pressure conditions.Specimens of alloy EA42 exhibited a narrow pore distribution in the side view(~0.5 mm)compared to the wide distribution(~1.8 mm)of alloy AZ91D,which was mainly attributed to the formation mechanism of the defect band.The formation of microporosity in the defect band of alloy EA42 was inhibited because of the significant latent heat released by a large amount of the Al11Ce3phase segregated in the defect band during solidification.Additionally,an effective estimator(Z-Propagation)was introduced,which is proposed to predict the projected area fraction of the porosity(f)involved during tensile failure with better effectiveness compared with traditional methods based on the actual fractured surface.By coupling the Z-Propagation method with the critical local strain model,the logarithmic fracture strain and true fracture stress of the specimens were predicted within 3.03%and 1.65%of the absolute value of the average relative error(AARE),respectively.

Structural,spectroscopic,and dielectric characterizations of Mn-doped 0.67BiFeO_(3)-0.33BaTiO_(3)multiferroic ceramics

0.67BiFeO_(3)-0.33BaTiO_(3)multiferroic ceramics doped with x mol%MnO_(2)(x=2-10)were synthesized by solid-state reaction.The formation of a perovskite phase with rhombohedral symmetry was confirmed by X-ray diffraction(XRD).The average grain sizes were reduced from 0.80mm to 0.50mm as increasing the Mn-doped levels.Single crystalline nature of the grains was revealed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM)images and electron diffraction patterns.Polar nano-sized ferroelectric domains with an average size of 9 nm randomly distributed in the ceramic samples were revealed by TEM images.Ferroelectric domain lamellae(71°ferroelectric domains)with an average width of 5 nm were also observed.Vibrational modes were examined by Raman spectra,where only four Raman peaks at 272 cm^(-1)(E-4 mode),496 cm^(-1)(A_(1)-4 mode),639 cm^(-1),and 1338 cm^(-1)were observed.The blue shifts in the E-4 and A_(1)-4 Raman mode frequencies were interpreted by a spring oscillator model.The dieletric constants of the present ceramics as a function of the Mn-doped levels exhibited a V-typed curve.They were in the range of 350-700 measured at 10^(3)Hz,and the corresponding dielectric losses were in range of 0.43-0.96,approaching to 0.09 at 10^(6)Hz.