Semi-solid extrusion of TiC_p/2024Al composites prepared by contact reaction method

The contact reaction method was employed to prepare TiC p/2024Al composites and the semi solid extrusion was employed to manufacture composite rods. Through many experiments, suitable processing parameters were obtained, under which sound rods can be fabricated. It is found from the extrusion pressure—stroke curves of semi solid extrusion that the deformation force during semi solid extrusion is low and steady. The reason for lower extrusion pressure of semi solid extrusion was given. Some fabrication defects, such as break out and excessive extrusion force, owing to the inappropriate selection of processing parameters were also observed. The microstructures of TiCp/2024Al composites are characterized by well densified matrix, uniformly distributed TiC particles, some banded particle clusters and realignment of TiC particles along the extrusion direction, and no fracture of TiC particles. The mechanical properties of TiC p/2024Al composites are much higher than those of unreinforced alloy. In the meantime, the elongations of the composites are maintained at the level enough for practical applications.

Semi-solid extrusion of aluminum alloy ZL116

The semi-solid forward-extruding feasibility of reheated ZL116 alloy cast by the near-liquidus semi-continuous casting process was studied by analyzing the microstructures and properties of forward-extruded bars. The results show that the microstructure of the ZL116 alloy billets cast by near-liquidus semi-continuous casting is mainly made up of homogeneous, fine global-or rosette-shaped grains. The microstructure of the billets, reheated and held at 575℃, contains stable and net-spherical grains which are suitable for semi-solid thixoforming. The semi-solid forward-extruded bars of the ZL116 alloy billet are facially smooth, microstructurally fine and homogeneous. Therefore the feasibility of semi-solid forward-extrusion of ZL116 alloy is thus excellent.

Deformation and microstructure characterization during semi-solid extrusion of Al-4Cu-Mg alloy

Effects of the process parameters, including deformation temperature, punch velocity and extrusion ratio, on the deformation and microstructure characterization during the semi-solid extrusion of Al-4Cu-Mg alloy, were investigated. The experimental results show that the load decreases with an increase of deformation temperature and/or a decrease of punch velocity. When the displacement is more than 4 mm,the load decreases significantly with an increase of the deformation temperature, which is related to the high liquid fraction. The microstructure varies with the process parameters and deformation regions. It can be found that the dynamic recovery occurs during the semi-solid extrusion of Al-4Cu-Mg alloy at lower deformation temperature. Subsequently, the microstructure elongated gradually polygonizes with an increase of deformation temperature. So, the higher deformation temperature should be chosen during the semi-solid extrusion of Al-4Cu-Mg alloy because the grains polygonized and high liquid fractions are beneficial to deformation.

Investigation of high rate mechanical flow followed by ignition for high-energy propellant under dynamic extrusion loading

Investigating the ignition response of nitrate ester plasticized polyether(NEPE) propellant under dynamic extrusion loading is of great significant at least for two cases. Firstly, it helps to understand the mechanism and conditions of unwanted ignition inside charged propellant under accident stimulus.Secondly, evaluates the risk of a shell crevice in a solid rocket motor(SRM) under a falling or overturning scene. In the present study, an innovative visual crevice extrusion experiment is designed using a dropweight apparatus. The dynamic responses of NEPE propellant during extrusion loading, including compaction and compression, rapid shear flow into the crevice, stress concentration, and ignition reaction, have been firstly observed using a high-performance high-speed camera. The ignition reaction is observed in the triangular region of the NEPE propellant sample above the crevice when the drop weight velocity was 1.90 m/s. Based on the user material subroutine interface UMAT provided by finite element software LS-DYNA, a viscoelastic-plastic model and dual ignition criterion related to plastic shear dissipation are developed and applied to the local ignition response analysis under crevice extrusion conditions. The stress concentration occurs in the crevice location of the propellant sample, the shear stress is relatively large, the effective plastic work is relatively large, and the ignition reaction is easy to occur. When the sample thickness decreases from 5 mm to 2.5 mm, the shear stress increases from 22.3 MPa to 28.6 MPa, the critical value of effective plastic work required for ignition is shortened from 1280 μs to 730 μs, and the triangular area is easily triggering an ignition reaction. The propellant sample with a small thickness is more likely to stress concentration, resulting in large shear stress and effective work, triggering an ignition reaction.

Extrusion 3D printing of carbon nanotube-assembled carbon aerogel nanocomposites with high electrical conductivity

Carbon nanotubes(CNTs)with high aspect ratio and excellent electrical conduction offer huge functional improvements for current carbon aerogels.However,there remains a major challenge for achieving the on-demand shaping of carbon aerogels with tailored micro-nano structural textures and geometric features.Herein,a facile extrusion 3D printing strategy has been proposed for fabricating CNT-assembled carbon(CNT/C)aerogel nanocomposites through the extrusion printing of pseudoplastic carbomer-based inks,in which the stable dispersion of CNT nanofibers has been achieved relying on the high viscosity of carbomer microgels.After extrusion printing,the chemical solidification through polymerizing RF sols enables 3D-printed aerogel nanocomposites to display high shape fidelity in macroscopic geometries.Benefiting from the micro-nano scale assembly of CNT nanofiber networks and carbon nanoparticle networks in composite phases,3D-printed CNT/C aerogels exhibit enhanced mechanical strength(fracture strength,0.79 MPa)and typical porous structure characteristics,including low density(0.220 g cm^(-3)),high surface area(298.4 m^(2)g^(-1)),and concentrated pore diameter distribution(~32.8nm).More importantly,CNT nanofibers provide an efficient electron transport pathway,imparting 3D-printed CNT/C aerogel composites with a high electrical conductivity of 1.49 S cm^(-1).Our work would offer feasible guidelines for the design and fabrication of shape-dominated functional materials by additive manufacturing.

Method of fabricating artificial rock specimens based on extrusion free forming(EFF)3D printing

Three-dimensional(3D)printing technology has been widely used to create artificial rock samples in rock mechanics.While 3D printing can create complex fractures,the material still lacks sufficient similarity to natural rock.Extrusion free forming(EFF)is a 3D printing technique that uses clay as the printing material and cures the specimens through high-temperature sintering.In this study,we attempted to use the EFF technology to fabricate artificial rock specimens.The results show the physico-mechanical properties of the specimens are significantly affected by the sintering temperature,while the nozzle diameter and layer thickness also have a certain impact.The specimens are primarily composed of SiO_(2),with mineral compositions similar to that of natural rocks.The density,uniaxial compressive strength(UCS),elastic modulus,and tensile strength of the printed specimens fall in the range of 1.65–2.54 g/cm3,16.46–50.49 MPa,2.17–13.35 GPa,and 0.82–17.18 MPa,respectively.It is capable of simulating different types of rocks,especially mudstone,sandstone,limestone,and gneiss.However,the simulation of hard rocks with UCS exceeding 50 MPa still requires validation.

Designing new low alloyed Mg-RE alloys with high strength and ductility via high-speed extrusion

Two new low-alloyed Mg-2RE-0.8Mn-0.6Ca-0.5Zn(wt%,RE=Sm or Y)alloys are developed,which can be produced on an in-dustrial scale via relatively high-speed extrusion.These two alloys are not only comparable to commercial AZ31 alloy in extrudability,but also have superior mechanical properties,especially in terms of yield strength(YS).The excellent extrudability is related to less coarse second-phase particles and high initial melting point of the two as-cast alloys.The high strength-ductility mainly comes from the formation of fine grains,nano-spaced submicron/nano precipitates,and weak texture.Moreover,it is worth noting that the YS of the two alloys can maintain above 160 MPa at elevated temperature of 250°C,significantly higher than that of AZ31 alloy(YS:45 MPa).The Zn/Ca solute segregation at grain boundaries,the improved heat resistance of matrix due to addition of RE,and the high melting points of strengthening particles(Mn,MgZn_(2),and Mg-Zn-RE/Mg-Zn-RE-Ca)are mainly responsible for the excellent high-temperature strength.

Role of extrusion rate on the microstructure and tensile properties evolution of ultrahigh-strength low-alloy Mg-1.0Al-1.0Ca-0.4Mn(wt.%)alloy

Mg-1.0Al-1.0Ca-0.4Mn(AXM1104, wt.%) low alloy was extruded at 200 ℃ with an extrusion ratio of 25 and different ram speeds from 1.0 to 7.0 mm/s. The influence of extrusion rate on microstructure and mechanical properties of the AXM1104 alloy was systematically studied. With the increasing of extrusion rate, the mean dynamically recrystallized(DRXed) grain size of the low alloy and average particles diameter of precipitate second phases were increased, while the degree of grain boundary segregation and the intensity of the basal fiber texture were decreased. With the rising of extrusion rate from 1.0 to 7.0 mm/s, the tensile yield strength(TYS) of the as-extruded AXM1104 alloy was decreased from 445 MPa to 249 MPa, while the elongation to failure(EL) was increased from 5.0% to 17.6%. The TYS, ultimate tensile strength(UTS) and EL of the AXM1104 alloy extruded at the ram speed of 1.5 mm/s was 412 MPa, 419 MPa and 12.0%, respectively,exhibiting comprehensive tensile mechanical properties with ultra-high strength and excellent plasticity. The ultra-high TYS of 412 MPa was mainly due to the strengthening from ultra-fine DRXed grains with segregation of solute atoms at grain boundaries. The strain hardening rate is increase slightly with increasing extrusion speed, which may be ascribed to the increasing mean DRXed grain size with rising extrusion speed. The higher strain hardening rate contributes to the higher EL of these AXM1104 samples extruded at higher ram speed.

Mechanism of plasticity enhancement of AZ31B magnesium alloy sheet by accumulative alternating back extrusion

Accumulative alternating back extrusion was a potential fine-grain modification method.In this paper,it was an innovative attempt to develop high-performance magnesium alloy sheet by this process.Under the condition of 350 K,commercial AZ31 magnesium alloy was made into billet by accumulative alternating back extrusion,and then extruded into fine-grain magnesium alloy sheet.Through a systematic study of its microstructure and mechanical properties,the results showed that the initial state had an important influence on the evolution of the structure during extrusion.After accumulative alternating back extrusion to produce the billet,the grain size of the sheet obtained by extrusion was significantly refined,which was related to the accumulation of deformation and grain refinement during the alternating loading process.Grain refinement caused the proportion of dynamic recrystallization inside the sheet with 2 cycles of accumulative alternating back extrusion to drop to 27%.With the increase of extrusion cycles from 2 to 4,the high density of dislocations led to an increase in the proportion of dynamic recrystallization and finer grains.The texture changed from strong basal texture to weak bimodal texture.The results of uniaxial tensile test show that due to grain refinement and texture change,the yield strength was significantly reduced,and the plasticity was significantly improved.It was verified that accumulative alternating back extrusion was meaningful for subsequent processing,and it also provided scientific guidance for the development of fine-grained magnesium alloy sheet.

Advanced strategies in the application of gelatin-based bioink for extrusion bioprinting

The significance of bioink suitability for the extrusion bioprinting of tissue-like constructs cannot be overemphasized.Gelatin,derived from the hydrolysis of collagen,not only can mimic the extracellular matrix to immensely support cell function,but also is suitable for extrusion under certain conditions.Thus,gelatin has been recognized as a promising bioink for extrusion bioprinting.However,the development of a gelatin-based bioink with satisfactory printability and bioactivity to fabricate complex tissue-like constructs with the desired physicochemical properties and biofunctions for a specific biomedical application is still in its infancy.Therefore,in this review,we aim to comprehensively summarize the state-of-the-art methods of gelatin-based bioink application for extrusion bioprinting.Wefirstly outline the properties and requirements of gelatin-based bioinks for extrusion bioprinting,highlighting the strategies to overcome their main limitations in terms of printability,structural stability and cell viability.Then,the challenges and prospects are further discussed regarding the development of ideal gelatin-based bioinks for extrusion bioprinting to create complex tissue-like constructs with preferable physicochemical properties and biofunctions.

Variations in dynamic recrystallization behavior and mechanical properties of AZ31 alloy with extrusion temperature

This study investigates the effects of extrusion temperature on the dynamic recrystallization(DRX)behavior of a Mg-3Al-1Zn-0.3Mn(AZ31,wt%)alloy during hot extrusion and on the microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of materials extruded at 350 and 450℃.An increase in the extrusion temperature causes a decrease in the amount of strain energy accumulated in the material during extrusion,because of promoted activation of pyramidal<c+a>slip and dynamic recovery.This reduced strain energy weakens the DRX behavior during extrusion,which eventually results in a decrease in the area fraction of recrystallized grains of the extruded material.The material extruded at 450℃has coarser grains and a stronger basal fiber texture than that extruded at 350℃.As the extrusion temperature increases from 350 to 450℃,the tensile yield strength(TYS)of the extruded material increases from 191.8 to 201.5 MPa,whereas its compressive yield strength(CYS)decreases from 122.5 to 111.0 MPa;consequently,its tension-compression yield stress ratio(CYS/TYS)decreases from 0.64 to 0.55.The increase in the TYS is attributed mainly to the stronger texture hardening and strain hardening effects of the extruded material,and the decrease in the CYS is attributed to the reduced twinning stress resulting from grain coarsening and texture intensification.The microstructural and textural evolutions of the materials during extrusion and the deformation and hardening mechanisms of the extruded materials are discussed in detail.

Difference in extrusion temperature dependences of microstructure and mechanical properties between extruded AZ61 and AZ91 alloys

The effects of extrusion temperature on the microstructure and tensile properties of extruded AZ61 and AZ91 alloys are investigated by subjecting them to hot extrusion at 300 and 400℃.Although the average grain size of the extruded AZ61 alloy slightly increases from 9.5 to 12.6μm with increasing extrusion temperature,its resultant microstructural variation is insignificant.In contrast,the average grain size of the extruded AZ91 alloy significantly increases from 5.7 to 22.5μm with increasing extrusion temperature,and the type of Mg17Al12 precipitates formed in it changes from fine dynamic precipitates with a spherical shape to coarse static precipitates with a lamellar structure.As the extrusion temperature increases,the tensile yield strength of the extruded AZ61 alloy increases from 183 to 197 MPa while that of the extruded AZ91 alloy decreases from 232 to 224 MPa.The tensile elongations of the extruded AZ61 and AZ91 alloys decrease with increasing extrusion temperature,but the degree of decrease is significant in the latter alloy.These different extrusion temperature dependences of the tensile properties of the extruded AZ61 and AZ91 alloys are discussed in terms of their microstructural characteristics,strengthening mechanisms,and crack initiation sites.

Microstructure evolution of processed Mg-Al-Zn alloy by equal channel angular extrusion in semi-solid isothermal treatment

Microstructure evolution of processed Mg-Al-Zn alloy by equal channel angular extrusion(ECAE)in semi-solid isothermal treatment was investigated.The results show that with increasing semi-solid isothermal treatment temperature,the α phase solid grain size of processed Mg-Al-Zn alloy by ECAE increases firstly due to coarsening of α phase solid grains,then decreases due to melting of α phase solid grains.With the increase of extrusion passes during ECAE,the α phase solid grain size in the following semi-solid isothermal treatment decreases.The α phase solid grain size of processed Mg-Al-Zn alloy by ECAE under route BC is the smallest,while the α phase solid grain size of processed material by ECAE under route A is the largest.The primary mechanism of spheroid formation depends on the melting of recrystallizing boundaries and diffusion of solute atoms in the semi-solid state.

Simple shear extrusion versus equal channel angular pressing:A comparative study on the microstructure and mechanical properties of an Mg alloy

Two severe plastic deformation(SPD)techniques of simple shear extrusion(SSE)and equal channel angular pressing(ECAP)were employed to process an extruded Mg-6Gd-3Y-1.5Ag(wt%)alloy at 553 K for 1,2,4 and 6 passes.The microstructural evolutions were studied by electron back scattered diffraction(EBSD)analysis and transmission electron microscopy(TEM).The initial grain size of 7.5μm in the extruded alloy was reduced to about 1.3μm after 6 SPD passes.Discontinuous dynamic recrystallization was suggested to be operative in both SSE and ECAP,with also a potential contribution of continuous dynamic recrystallization at the early stages of deformation.The difference in the shear strain paths of the two SPD techniques caused different progression rate of dynamic recrystallization(DRX),so that the alloys processed by ECAP exhibited higher fractions of recrystallization and high angle grain boundaries(HAGBs).It was revealed that crystallographic texture was also significantly influenced by the difference in the strain paths of the two SPD methods,where dissimilar basal plane texture components were obtained.The compression tests,performed along extrusion direction(ED),indicated that the compressive yield stress(CYS)and ultimate compressive strength(UCS)of the alloys after both SEE and ECAP augmented continuously by increasing the number of passes.ECAP-processed alloys had lower values of CYS and UCS compared to their counterparts processed by SSE.This difference in the mechanical responses was attributed to the different configurations of basal planes with respect to the loading direction(ED)of each SPD technique.

Effects of Extrusion Processing on Microstructure of 7075Al Alloy in the Semi-solid State

A recrystallization and partial melting(RAP) process was introduced to prepare the semi-solid 7075 aluminum alloy used for thixoforming. In order to obtain an ideal semi-solid microstructure, a series of extrusion experiments were conducted to comparatively investigate the optimum extrusion process parameters. Commercial 7075 Al alloy samples were firstly extruded with varying extrusion ratios below the recrystallization temperature followed by homogenization, then these samples were reheated to the semi-solid state and held in the range of 5 to 50 minutes. The experimental results show that varying process cause the difference in the deformation degree and microstructure for as-extruded samples, resulting in various semi-solid microstructure. It is verified that the formation of equiaxed grains in semi-solid microstructure depends on recrystallization behavior of extruded samples during partial melting. Both relative high extrusion temperature and low extrusion ratio lead to high volume fraction of recrystallized area, thus entirely equiaxed solid grains in semi-solid 7075 Al alloy samples can be obtained finally. In addition, Ostwald ripening was determined as the dominate coarsening mechanism of solid grains in semi-solid state for this 7075 Al alloy during the RAP route. The influence of predeformation on recrystallization behavior of this 7075 Al alloy was discussed in detail.

Texture property and weakening mechanism of Mg-3Al-1Zn alloy by interactive alternating forward extrusion

The interactive alternating forward extrusion(AFE) method can realize the change of texture type and the weakening of texture strength.Taking AZ31 magnesium alloy as an example, the texture evolution of interactive AFE was studied. The results show that all kinds of dynamic recrystallization(DRX) behaviors can weaken the texture to vary degrees. The weakening effect of twinning-induced recrystallization(TDRX)behavior was particularly significant. During the interactive AFE process, the c-axis of most grains rotated under the external force, and tended to be 90° angle with the ED direction, forming a stable fiber texture. In addition, with the increase of loading passes, the starting of {0001} <11–20> basal slip system became more and more difficult. The(10–10) texture formed by {10–10} <11–20> prismatic slip system after sixth passes was the main texture type. With the increase of forming temperature, the starting ability of {10–10} <11–20>prismatic slip systems increased, and the(10–10) texture formed by prismatic slip system above 623 K dominated.

Effect of Hot Extrusion on Microstructure and Properties of (ABOw+SiCp)/6061Al Composites Fabricated by Semi-solid Stirring Technique

6061Al matrix composites reinforced by 5vol.%ABOw and 15vol.%SiCp were fabricated by semi-solid stirring technique successfully at 640 ℃ for 40min with the stirring rate of 300 rpm,and the composites were extruded at a temperature of 500 ℃ using an extrusion ratio of 25:1 subsequently.Tensile tests were performed on as-casted and as-extruded(ABOw+SiCp)/6061Al composites at room temperature,and microstructures were observed by scanning electron microscope(SEM).SEM investigation showed that the as-extruded composite exhibited reduced porosity as well as a more uniform distribution of the reinforcements compared with the as-casted composite.The tensile tests results showed that the ultimate tensile strength and tensile elongation of as-extruded composite are higher than that of as-casted composite.

New Technology of Multidirectional Loading Rotary Extrusion

To satisfy the requirements for the precise formation of large-scale high-performance lightweight components with inner ring reinforcement, a new multidirectional loading rotary extrusion forming technology is developed to match the linear motion with the rotary motion and actively increases the strong shear force. Its principle is that the radial force and rotating torque increase when the blank is axially extruded and loaded. Through the synergistic action of axial, radial, and rotating motions, the orderly fow of metal is controlled, and the cumulative severe plastic deformation (SPD) of an“uplift-trowel” micro-area is generated. Consequently, materials are uniformly strengthened and toughened. Simultaneously, through the continuous deformation of a punch “ellipse-circle,” a high reinforcement component is grown on the cylinder wall to achieve the high-quality formation of cylindrical parts or the inner-ring-reinforcement components. Additionally, the efective strain increases with rotation speed, and the maximum intensity on the basal plane decreases as the number of revolutions increase. The punch structure also afects the axial extrusion loading and equivalent plastic strain. Thus, the proposed technology enriches the plastic forming theory and widens the application feld of plastic forming. Furthermore, the formed large-scale high-performance inner-ring-stifened magnesium components have been successfully verifed in aerospace equipment, thereby solving the problems of integral forming and severe deformation strengthening and toughening. The developed technology has good prospects for mass production and application.

Hot-deformation kinetics analysis and extrusion parameter optimization of a dilute rare-earth free magnesium alloy

The fundamental research on thermo-mechanical conditions provides an experimental basis for high-performance Mg-Al-Ca-Mn alloys.However, there is a lack of systematical investigation for this series alloys on the hot-deformation kinetics and extrusion parameter optimization. Here, the flow behavior, constitutive model, dynamic recrystallization(DRX) kinetic model and processing map of a dilute rare-earth free Mg-1.3Al-0.4Ca-0.4Mn(AXM100, wt.%) alloy were studied under different hot-compressive conditions. In addition, the extrusion parameter optimization of this alloy was performed based on the hot-processing map. The results showed that the conventional Arrhenius-type strain-related constitutive model only worked well for the flow curves at high temperatures and low strain rates. In comparison, using the machine learning assisted model(support vector regression, SVR) could effectively improve the accuracy between the predicted and experimental values. The DRX kinetic model was established, and a typical necklace-shaped structure preferentially occurred at the original grain boundaries and the second phases. The DRX nucleation weakened the texture intensity, and the further growth caused the more scattered basal texture. The hot-processing maps at different strains were also measured and the optimal hot-processing range could be confirmed at the deformation temperatures of 600~723 K and the strain rates of 0.018~0.563 s^(-1). Based on the optimum hot-processing range, a suitable extrusion parameter was considered as 603 K and 0.1 mm/s and the as-extruded alloy in this parameter exhibited a good strength-ductility synergy(yield strength of ~ 232.1 MPa, ultimate strength of ~ 278.2 MPa and elongation-to-failure of ~ 20.1%). Finally, the strengthening-plasticizing mechanisms and the relationships between the DRXed grain size, yield strength and extrusion parameters were analyzed.

Development of a Novel Extrusion Process for Preparing Rice Straw/LLDPE Composites

Straw utilization is a key issue related to agricultural production and air pollution control.In this study,a novel extrusion process was proposed to improve the physical and mechanical properties of the straw-reinforced linear low-density polyethylene(LLDPE)composite.Instead of crushing the straw and mixing it with plastic matrix,the new method mixes straw with plastic matrix in its original form.The intact long rice straws were parallelly spread on the LLDPE film and then rolled up together into a prefabricated roll.The rolls experienced three extrusion processes as follows:(1)twin-screw melting,cooling and crushing,single-screw extruding;(2)twin-screw melting and single-screw extruding;(3)directly single-screw extruding.The testing results showed that the straw/LLDPE composite(with a ratio of 6:4)prepared by Method(2)exhibited optimized properties.Characterization by scanning electron microscopy indicated that the damage to rice straw fibers was relatively minor,the orientation of long fibers was good,and the binding of fibers with the LLDPE matrix was excellent in this case.The results of dynamic mechanical testing(DMA),differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)and thermogravimetric(TG)analysis demonstrated that composites prepared by the new process exhibited significantly improved thermal stability and energy storage modulus,compared with those prepared by conventional processes(e.g.,extruded straw particles/LLDPE composite).The new proposed method yielded significantly enhanced mechanical properties while reducing dust pollution.