Influence of Neodymium on Amorphizability of RS Al-Fe-V-Si-Nd Alloys:An Investigation Using Time Dependent Nucleation Theory

Time dependent nucleation theory was applied to calculate the incubation time required for α Al nucleation in rapid solidified (RS) Al Fe V Si Nd alloys. The nucleation rates were calculated as a function of temperature, and the critical cooling rates required for the formation of amorphous α Al at different neodymium concentrations were calculated too. The addition of neodymium increases the amorphizablity of α Al by increasing the incubation time and decreasing the nucleation rate and the critical cooling rate. The calculations are fitted to experimental results when liquidus temperatures are estimated from an approximation, which treats Al Fe V Si Nd as quasi binary Al Fe system.

Selective Laser Melting of an Al–Fe–V–Si Alloy:Microstructural Evolution and Thermal Stability

Selective laser melting was used to produce an aluminum alloy Al-8.5Fe-1.3V-1.7Si（wt%）. The effects of heat treatment on microstructure evolution and phase stability during long-term thermal exposure of the deposits were investigated. Results show that the microquasi-crystalline phase, Al12（Fe,V）3Si and AlmF e metastable phases coexisted with α-Al in the as-produced alloy. Annealing at 400 ℃ resulted in decomposition of microquasi-crystalline phase and supersaturated α-Al into Al12（Fe, V）3Si phase in the fusion zone, accompanied by the decrease in alloy hardness. The activation energy of this decomposition process was 115 k J/mol. A more homogenous microstructure was obtained after annealing at 400 °C for 60 min,which was resistant to coarsening exposed at 425 °C up to 500 h. The Al12（Fe,V）3Si and AlmF e phases were coarsened at 475 and 525℃ with increasing the exposure time. Coarsening of Al12（Fe,V）3Si phase was attributed to a combination of volume diffusion and grain boundary diffusion mechanism of Fe. Heat treatment at 600℃ resulted in accelerated microstructure coarsening and formation of large-sized equilibrium phases, which signi？cantly degraded the room temperature microhardness.

Tribological Properties of Nanostructured Al/Al_(12)(Fe,V)_3Si Alloys

Tribological behavior of nanostructured pure Al and Al–Al12（Fe,V）3Si alloys containing 27（FVS0812） and 37（FVS1212） vol% of Al12（Fe,V）3Si precipitates was investigated. All samples were prepared using mechanical alloying followed by hot pressing. Wear tests were performed at room temperature using a pin-on-disk machine. Results showed that the presence of Al12（Fe,V）3Si precipitates increases the wear resistance of nanostructured Al, and the wear resistance increases with increasing the Al12（Fe,V）3Si content. Scanning electron microscopy images of worn surfaces and wear debris demonstrated that abrasion and adhesion are the governing wear mechanisms for the nanostructured FVS0812 alloy at 2 and 5 N normal loads, whereas for the nanostructured FVS1212 alloy, the dominant wear mechanism is abrasion at these loads. A mechanically mixed layer（MML） containing Fe and O was formed on the worn surfaces of FVS0812 and FVS1212 samples at 10 N normal load. Formation and delamination of MML controls the wear behavior of these samples at the normal load of 10 N. It is also found that the presence of Al12（Fe,V）3Si precipitates decreases the friction coefficient of nanostructured Al.

Synchronously Improving the Thermal Conductivity and Mechanical Properties of Al–Si–Fe–Mg–Cu–Zn Alloy Die Castings Through Ultrasonic-Assisted Rheoforming

An ultrasonic vibration-assisted air-cooled stirring rod process(ACSR+UV)was used to efficiently prepare a large-volume semisolid slurry with a mass of more than 40 kg.A low-cost Al–Si–Fe–Mg–Cu–Zn die-casted alloy with high thermal conductivity,high plasticity and medium strength was developed.The alloy was used to manufacture large,thin-walled parts for 5 G base stations by using the ACSR+UV rheological die-casting(ACSR+UV R-DC)process.Investigations were performed on the microstructure,porosity,mechanical properties,fracture behaviour and thermal conductivity of the ACSR+UV R-DC alloy,which was then compared to traditionally die-casted(T-DC)and ACSR R-DC alloys.The mechanisms for the microstructural refinement and enhancement of the mechanical and thermal conductivity performances of the ACSR+UV R-DC alloy were also analysed.The results showed that the ACSR+UV process increased the nucleation rate of the melt due to the increase in the nucleation area and the generation of cavitation bubbles.A radial-and an axial-forced convection was also generated inside the melt under the combined effects of acoustic flow and mechanical stirring,thereby homogenising the melt composition field and the temperature field.Therefore,the ACSR+UV R-DC process not only refined the primaryα-Al(α_(1)-Al),the eutectic silicon and the secondaryα-Al(α_(2)-Al),but also greatly improved the morphology and the distribution of the β-Al5FeSi phase.The mechanical properties of the ACSR+UV R-DC alloy were higher than those of the T-DC and the ACSR R-DC alloys.Compared to the T-DC alloy,the ultimate tensile strength,elongation and yield strength of the ACSR+UV R-DC alloy were increased by 34%,122%and 19%,respectively.This was because the ACSR+UV R-DC technique gave the alloy the characteristics of high density,fine sphericalα1-Al grain and a fine and uniform β-phase,which improved the fracture behaviour of the alloy.The thermal conductivity of the ACSR+UV R-DC alloy was 184 W/(m K),which was 10.2%and 3.4%higher than that of T-DC and ACSR R-DC alloys,respectively.This was because the refined eutectic silicon and β phases in the ACSR+UV R-DC alloy facilitated an easier electron flow through the eutectic region,and the decrease in porosity increased the effective area of heat conduction.