Structural evolution of spray-formed Al-70wt.%Si alloys during iso-thermal holding in the semi-solid state

The grain growth behavior of spray-formed Al-70wt.%Si alloys was studied in the semi-solid state. The specimens were isothermally heat-treated at various temperatures between the solidus and liquidus of Al-Si alloys and then quenched in water. The microstructure of reheated specimens was characterized using optical and scanning electron microscopies. The isothermal holding experiment was carried out to investigate grain growth behavior as a function of holding time and temperature in the semi-solid state. The coarsening mechanism and the effect of porosity on microstructure were also studied.

直流电磁场对Al-7%Si亚共晶合金组织结构的影响

研究在直流电磁场下凝固的Al-7%Si合金晶内Si元素含量及凝固组织的变化。结果表明,与未施加磁场的试样相比,整个凝固过程或凝固后期施加直流电磁场,Al-7%Si合金晶内Si含量增加,在整个凝固过程都施加直流电磁场,初生-αAl枝晶较长,随着开始施加直流电磁场的温度降低,初生-αAl枝晶越来越短。

MICROSTRUCTURE AND MACROSEGREGATION OF Al-7%Si ALLOY SOLIDIFIED UNDER COMPLEX EFFECTS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC AND CENTRIFUGAL FORCES

Macrosegregations and microstructures of Al-7%Si alloy solidified under complex of fects of magnetic field and centrifugal forces are studied by means of a set of selfdesigned electromagnetic centrifugal casting (EMCC) device. It is shown that electromagnetic field (EMF) has an important effect on the macrosegregation of centrifugal casting specimen of Al-7%Si alloy in two respects: one is that there exists always a kind of convection in the liquid in front of the S/L interface caused by effect ofthe electromagnetic force; the other is that different atomic clusters of solidparticles with different physical characteristics are subjected to quite different electromagnetic (Lorentz) force. Therefore, their movements get changed. In addition, the formation process of a complex band structure consisting of primary α-Al dendrites and (α-Al+β-Si) eutectics in hypoeutectic Al-Si alloys during EMCC and the effect of EMF are discussed.

Melt Treatment of Al-7%Si Alloy by Flux Injection

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Effect of Pre-Ageing on the Precipitation Behaviors and Mechanical Properties of Al-7Si-Mg Alloys

For alloys that are quenched to 25℃ room temperature, there are Mg-Mg, Si-Si and Mg-Si clusters shown by exothermic peaks in a A357 alloy. However, there are no clear Mg-Mg, Si-Si and Mg-Si cluster exothermic peaks in a A356 alloy. Hence, the low Mg content in a A356 alloy has less impact with natural ageing. The natural ageing impact on the mechanical properties of a A357 alloy is higher than a A356 alloy due to the precipitation of Mg-Si clusters for which the nucleation size does not reach the critical size. The 90℃ pre-ageing process could promote Mg-Si clusters to a critical size to become the nucleation site for of β''. This then increases the artificial ageing strength and mitigates the impact of natural ageing.

Effects of ZrO_2 Nanoparticles on the Microstructure and Thermal-protective Properties of PEO Coating on Al-12.5%Si Alloy

PEO ceramic coatings including ZrO_2-Al_2O_3-SiO_2 in three phases were prepared on an Al-12.5%Si alloy in electrolyte solutions containing ZrO_2 nanoparticles. The microstructures and phases of the coatings were analyzed by SEM and XRD, and the heat insulation performance and the thermal shock resistance of the coatings were investigated. The compactness of the coating increased significantly and the hindrance of the Si element on plasma electrolytic oxidation process was effectively weakened. The growth rate of the coating was improved substantially with the addition of ZrO_2 nanoparticles. The PEO ceramic coatings are primarily composed of SiO_2 and high temperature steady phases such as a-Al_2O_3 and c-ZrO_2. Both the content of c-ZrO_2 and the heat-insulating property of the coating increased significantly. The ceramic coatings with special microstructure and composition formed in the solutions containing ZrO_2 nanoparticles possess excellent heat insulation performance and thermal shock resistance.

STRUCTURAL TRANSFORMATION AND ITS REVERSIBILITY IN LIQUID Al-13%Si ALLOY AT HIGH TEMPERATURES

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Effect of La addition on microstructure and mechanical properties of hypoeutectic Al-7Si aluminum alloy

The effect of La addition(0,0.1,0.2,0.4,wt.%)on the microstructure,tensile properties and fracture behavior of Al-7Si alloy was investigated systematically.It is found that the La appears in the Al-7Si alloy in the form of Al4La and Al2Si2La phases.La addition can refine the secondary dendrite arm spacing(SDAS)and eutectic Si particles,which are decreased by 7.9%and 7%,respectively,with the optimal La content of 0.1wt.%.Because when 0.1wt.%La is added,a relatively higher nucleation undercooling of 37.47℃ is observed.Higher undercooling degree suggests that nucleation is accelerated and subsequent growth is restrained.After T6 heat treatment,compared with the without La,the ultimate tensile strength of the alloy with 0.1wt.%La is enhanced by 5.2%from 333 MPa to 350.2 MPa and the elongation increases by 73%from 7.37%to 12.75%,correspondingly.The fracture mode evolves from the ductile-brittle mixed fracture to ductile fracture mode.However,when La element content reaches a certain value of 0.4wt.%,serious segregation takes place during the solidification process.The formed brittle phases deteriorate the tensile properties of the alloy and the fracture mode of Al-7Si-0.2/0.4 La changes to mixed ductile-brittle fracture mode.

变质工艺对亚共晶Al-Si合金共晶硅细化的影响

研究了工业生产Sr变质亚共晶Al-7%Si合金时,变质剂含量、变质温度、变质时间、浇注温度等工艺参数对合金共晶硅细化及其性能的影响。结果表明,在大规模工业化生产中,上述工艺参数严重影响共晶硅的变质效果。采用Al-10%Sr对亚共晶Al-7%Si合金进行变质,在w(Sr)=0.015%时,保温40min后,共晶团内的Si完全成为圆颗粒状,尺寸为5～10μm,达到最佳变质效果。采用Sr变质亚共晶Al-7%Si合金最佳变质温度为700℃,变质后共晶硅组织分布均匀;浇注温度为640℃时的铸件宏观组织最佳,晶粒度可稳定的达到2级,升高浇注温度,晶粒度提高。精炼后,变质时间为30～60min进行浇注,试样针孔度最小,熔体洁净程度高。

Modification and aging precipitation behavior of hypereutectic AI-21wt.%Si alloy treated by P+Ce combination

In the present study, the tested hypereutectic Al-21 wt.%Si alloys were prepared by modifying the melt using different proportions of P and Ce, and then applying T6 heat treatment. The modif ication effects and mechanism of P+Ce complex modif ier on the Si phase of hypereutectic Al-21 wt.%Si alloy were studied, and the aging precipitation behavior after modif ication was characterized by means of tensile strength measurement, OM, SEM and TEM analysis. The results show that the massive primary silicon phase particles are signif icantly ref ined after modif ication, while the needle-like eutectic silicon crystals become f ibrous and short. It was found that the mechanism of phosphorus modifi cation on the primary silicon can be attributed to heterogeneous nucleation of Al P, while the modification mechanism of Ce can be explained by adsorbing-twinning theory. In the aged microstructure of the modif ied hypereutectic Al-21 wt.%Si alloy, there existed some strengthening phases such as Al4Cu9, Al2 Cu, AlC u3, and Al57Mn12. The P+Ce complex modif ier not only affected the size of primary silicon and eutectic silicon, but also the aging behavior of alloys under the heat treatment process. When Al-21 wt.%Si alloy was modif ied using 0.08%wt.P + 0.6wt.% Ce, the aging precipitates were dispersed uniformly in the alloy, and its mechanical properties at room and elevated temperatures are optimized(Rm = 287.6 MPa at RT, Rm = 210 MPa at 300 ℃).

Optimization of processing parameters for preparation of Al-3Ti-1B grain refiner

Al-3Ti-1B master alloys were prepared at different processing parameters by the reaction of halide salts,and the grain refining response of Al-7Si alloy was investigated with Al-3Ti-B master alloy.The microstructure of master alloy and its grain refining effect on Al-7Si alloy were investigated by means of OM,XRD and SEM.Experimental results show that,the size of Al3Ti particles presented in Al-3Ti-1B master alloys increases with the increase of reaction temperature and decreases with the increase of cooling rate.The grain refining efficiency of Al-3Ti-1B master alloy on Al-7Si alloy is mainly attributed to heterogeneous nucleation of Al3Ti particles,and the morphology ofα(Al)changes from coarse dendritic to fine equiaxed.As a result,Al-3Ti-1B master alloy is prepared by permanent mold,and holding at 800 ℃for 30min,which has better grain refining performance on Al-7Si alloy.

Electrochemical anodization of cast titanium alloys in oxalic acid for biomedical applications

Titanium and its alloys have numerous biomedical applications thanks to the composition and morphology of their oxide film.In this study,the colorful oxide films were formed by anodizing cast Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-6Al-7Nb alloys in a 10%oxalic acid solution for 30 s at different voltages(20–80 V)of a direct current power supply.Atomic force microscopy was used as an accurate tool to measure the surface roughness of thin films on the nanometer scale.Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction were performed to analyze surface morphology and phase structure.According to the results,the produced titanium oxide layer showed high surface roughness,which increased with increasing anodizing voltage.The impact of anodizing voltages on the color and roughness of anodized layers was surveyed.The corrosion resistance of the anodized samples was studied in simulated body fluid at pH 7.4 and a temperature of 37℃ utilizing electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and the potentiodynamic polarization method.The anodized samples for both alloys at 40 V were at the optimal voltage,leading to a TiO_(2) layer formation with the best compromise between oxide thickness and corrosion resistance.Also,findings showed that TiO_(2) films produced on Ti-6Al-7Nb alloys had superior surface roughness properties compared to those of Ti-6Al-4V alloys,making them more appropriate for orthopedic applications.From the obtained data and the fruitful discussion,it was found that the utilized procedure is simple,low-cost,and repeatable.Therefore,anodization in 10%oxalic acid proved a viable alternative for the surface finishing of titanium alloys for biomedical applications.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-7Si-0.7Mg alloy formed with an addition of(Pr+Ce)

Effects of （Pr＋Ce） addition on the Al-7Si-0.7Mg alloy were investigated by optical microscope （OM）, energy diffraction spectrum （EDS）, X-ray diffraction （XRD） and tensile tests. The results showed that the Al-7Si-0.7Mg alloy was modified with （Pr＋Ce） addition. The needle-like eutectic silicon phase developed into rose form and the crystalline grains decreased in size and showed a high degree of spheroidization. When the amount of the （Pr＋Ce） addition reached 0.6 wt.%, the mean diameter was 31.8μm （refined by 50%）. The aspect ratio decreased to 1.35, and the tensile strength and ductility reached 192.4 MPa and 2.18%, respectively At higher levels of addition, over-modification occurred, as indicated by increased grain size and reduced mechanical properties. The poisoning effect of the （Pr＋Ce） addition on eutectic silicon and the constitutional supercooling caused by the （Pr＋Ce） addition were the major causes of alloy modification, grain refinement, and the improvement of mechanical properties.

Hot deformation behavior and process parameters optimization of Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy using constitutive modeling and 3D processing map

The isothermal compression test for Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy was conducted by using Gleeble-3800 thermal simulator.The hot deformation behavior of Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy was investigated in the deformation temperature ranges of 940-1030℃and the strain rate ranges of 0.001-10 s^(-1).Meanwhile,the activation energy of thermal deformation was computed.The results show that the flow stress of Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy increases with increasing the strain rate and decreasing the deformation temperature.The activation energy of thermal deformation for Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy is much greater than that for self-diffusion ofα-Ti andβ-Ti.Considering the influence of strain on flow stress,the strain-compensated Arrhenius constitutive model of Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy was established.The error analysis shows that the model has higher accuracy,and the correlation coefficient r and average absolute relative error are 0.9879 and 4.11%,respectively.The processing map(PM)of Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy was constructed by the dynamic materials model and Prasad instability criterion.According to PM and microstructural observation,it is found that the main form of instability zone is local flow,and the deformation mechanisms of the stable zone are mainly superplasticity and dynamic recrystallization.The optimal processing parameters of Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy are determined as follows:960-995℃/0.01-0.18 s^(-1)and 1000-1030℃/0.001-0.01 s^(-1).

The effect of melt flow induced by RMF on the meso-and micro-structure of unidirectionally solidified Al–7wt.%Si alloy Benchmark experiment under magnetic stirring

During the last two decades,many algorithms were developed to simulate the solidification process for different casting methods like ingots,continuous casting of steel and the direct chill cast of aluminum.Experiments performed under exactly known conditions and with the detailed knowledge of meso-and micro-structures are required for validating these simulations.The aim of this paper is to give a data set to validate these simulations.Unidirectional solidification experiments were performed by using a rotating magnetic field(RMF)to study the effect of melt flow on the solidified micro-and meso-structure of the Al-7wt.%Si binary alloy.The first and the third 1/3 parts of samples were solidified without magnetic stirring,and the second(middle)1/3 part was solidified by using magnetic stirring.The magnetic induction was 10 m T,the temperature gradient was~7 K/mm,and the sample movement velocity was 0.1 mm/s.On the longitudinal section of the sample,the columnar/equiaxed transition(CET),the equiaxed/columnar transition(ECT),the secondary dendrite arm spacing(SDAS),and the macrosegregation(concentration distribution and the amount of eutectic)were investigated.The primary dendrite arm spacing(PDAS)and the grain structure were studied on the cross-section after color etching.

Modification Mechanism and Uniaxial Fatigue Performances of A356.2 Alloy Treated by Al-Sr-La Composite Refinement-Modification Agent

Modification mechanism and uniaxial fatigue properties of A356.2 alloy treated by Al-6Sr-7La and traditional Al-5Ti-1B/Al-10Sr(hereinafter refers to traditional treated alloy) were investigated by constant stress amplitude method. Microstructure, dislocation and Si twinning of the alloys were studied by thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM). The results showed that Al-6Sr-7La possesses better refining and modification effect than Al-5Ti-1B/Al-10Sr. Meanwhile, fatigue properties of the alloy treated by Al-6Sr-7La are higher than traditional treated alloy, and this is mainly owing to that Al-6Sr-7La treated alloy has more twins in eutectic Si and lower twin spacing. In addition, higher density of nanophases formed on twin faces and La-rich clusters appear at multiple twin intersections. Stacking faults and entrapped nanophases appeared on growing Si twin faces. Impurity induced twinning(IIT) mechanism and twin plane re-entrant edge(TPRE) mechanism are valid for eutectic Si which are important for mechanical optimization of A356.2 alloy.