Dehong Chen

Effect of samarium on microstructure and corrosion resistance of aged as-cast AZ92 magnesium alloy

Abstract The effects of samarium (Sm) on microstructure and corrosion resistance of AZ92 magnesium alloy were characterized and analyzed by scanning electronic microscopy, X-ray diffraction, mass loss test, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and potentio-dynamic polarization test. The results showed that the added Sm could promote continuous precipitation of β-Mg17Al12 phase in grains, and meanwhile restrain discontinuous precipitation of the same phase along the grain boundaries. Thus, the precipitations distributed more uniformly in the aged AZ92 magnesium alloys. When the content of Sm was 0.5 wt.%, the corrosion resistance of aged AZ92 alloy tended to be the best, which was due to the β-phase distributes more homogeneous reducing the galvanic corrosion. The corrosion product film had more integrality and compactness than AZ92 alloys without Sm. However, it resulted in worse corrosion resistance of AZ92 alloy because of the formation of mass cathodic Al2Sm phase coming from excess Sm in AZ92 alloy.

Impurities especially titanium in the rare earth metal gadolinium—before and after solid state electrotransport

Abstract Gadolinium was prepared by conventional procedures of fluorination, reduction, distillation and solid state electrotransport (SSE). The electronegativities of the metals were found to have an important influence on the electrotransport process and result of the impurity element. Meanwhile, titanium particles in the distilled gadolinium as major metallic impurities were studied by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) before and after solid state electrotransport. The results showed that impurities especially titanium transported from anode to cathode during SSE. In the metal before SSE, there were impurities of titanium in strip shape or embedded round shape. After SSE processing, titanium particles in the metal smaller than 50 nm in the cathode, but existed 6 to 10 times bigger in the anode.

Numerical simulation during vacuum sublimation purification of metal Tm (I): model foundation and validation

Abstract The thermo physical parameters of Tm vapor and the range of sublimation temperature were determined by vapor pressure of metal Tm, and a 2-D axis-symmetric heat transfer model was developed to investigate the temperature distribution in sublimation furnace. The simulation results showed that, due to the heat loss at crucible bottom, the temperature of crucible, solid metal and Tm vapor increased with crucible height increasing, reached the maximum value in the middle of crucible in height direction, and then decreased rapidly; at the outside surface of condenser, the temperature decreased sharply; with heating body temperature of 1000 °C, the mean temperature at upper surface of solid Tm was 22 °C higher than that on the lower surface, the mean temperature of upper surface of solid Tm was about 32 °C lower than that of heating body, and the calculated sublimation velocity was 8.16 g/cm2/h, which was only 54.4% of sublimation velocity calculation by heating body temperature.

Impurity distribution in metallic dysprosium during distillation purification

Abstract The distribution rules of impurities contents in distilled metallic dysprosium were researched, and a theoretical analysis was carried out. The research results indicated that, the content of impurity in distilled metal, such as Al and Fe, was lower in the initial stage, increased slowly in the middle stage, and increased rapidly in the last stage during the process of distillation purification. The calculated method of separation coefficient of impurity in crude metal by content of impurity in distilled metal was not suitable for high pure metals, and the modified separation coefficient was proposed, and it equaled 1/6.1 and 1/16.9 for impurity Al and Fe. The physical process of distillation was coincident with that of solidification essentially, and solute re-distribution theory in solidifying front could be used to describe the impurity distribution near evaporating surface. In the former stage of distillation purification, the diffusion of impurity in liquid metal could reach a quasi-equilibrium state, the calculated result of impurity content in distilled metal agreed well with experiments. In the latter stage of distillation process, the diffusion rate of impurity in liquid metal decreased, and the content in distilled metal was larger than the calculated result.

Impurity distribution in distillate of terbium metal during vacuum distillation purification

Abstract The distribution rules of impurities in distilled terbium metal were investigated by vacuum distillation purification experiment and theoretical analysis. It is found that Ti impurity in distilled terbium is 220 mg/kg in the initial stage of the distillation purification, increases slowly in the middle stage, and increases rapidly in the last stage, reaching 2260 mg/kg, and the modified separation coefficient of Ti is 1/19.02. The diffusion of the impurity Ti in liquid metal can reach a quasi-equilibrium state in the initial stage of distillation purification and the calculated results agree well with experimental results; the distribution profile of impurity Cu is opposite to Ti, being 380 mg/kg in the initial stage, decreasing linearly to 290 mg/kg in the last stage, and the modified separation coefficient is 17.99, and the theoretical calculated results are inconsistent with the experimental result.