Shusen Wu

Preparation of Semi-Solid Slurry of Hypereutectic Al-Si Alloy by Ultrasonic Vibration

The preparation of semi-solid slurry of hypereutectic Al-Si alloy by Ultrasonic Vibration (USV) has been studied. The A390 alloy melt was poured into a preheated metal cup, and subsequently the ultrasonic vibrator was dipped into the melt and USV was imposed. The solidified microstructure of the slurry has been analyzed, and the mechanical properties of the alloy have been tested by making samples through diecasting of the slurry. The results show that the primary Si particles of A390 alloy became finer, rounder and uniformly distributed in microstructure of A390 alloy slurry if imposed with USV, and average diameter of primary Si particles was about 20μm. With USV, the ultimate tensile strength and the hardness of rheo-casted samples increased by over 25% and near 50% respectively besides the elongation rose by above 100%. After heat treatment, the mechanical properties were further improved. In addition, the mechanism of preparation of semi-solid slurry of hypereutectic Al-Si alloy by USV is discussed.

Development of Non-Dendritic Microstructure of Aluminum Alloy in Semi-Solid State under Ultrasonic Vibration

The effect of processing parameters on the semi-solid microstructure has been investigated in the course of semi-solid slurry preparation of A356 Al alloy by ultrasonic vibration method. The A356 melt in temperature of 630660°C was poured into a special metal cup, and exposed to ultrasonic vibration at 20 kHz or isothermal holding for a certain time after vibration. The results show that the semi-solid slurry with primary α-Al crystals smaller than 90 μm and an average shape coefficient F S (SF was defined as SF4 A/L2P) above 0.5 could be prepared by ultrasonic vibration for a time less than 144 s. In the isothermal holding period after a short time of ultrasonic vibration, the average particle diameter increased with the increase of holding time, but F S decreased at first, and then increased a little. It was discovered that ultrasonic vibration is a good method to prepare semi-solid slurry with fine and relatively round primary crystals due to cavitation and acoustic streaming effects.

Engulfment of Al2O3 particles during solidification of aluminum matrix composites

Abstract Through the analysis of forces acting on the particles at the solid/liquid interface based on the interfacial energies, we propose a new theoretical particle transfer model. This model can predict the behavior of the particles at the interface. The main concept of this model is proved by the mutual wetting behavior among the solid, liquid and particle phases. If the contact angle at a solid/liquid interface and a particle is 90°, the particle would be pushed. This contact angle is measured by unidirectional solidification (UDS) experiments. But if solidification experiments were carried out for particle dispersed composites in a conventional UDS, the particles completely descended before freezing, therefore, a zone-UDS was used in the experiment. In Al–Sr, Al–Ca and Al–Ce matrix composites, Al 2 O 3 particles are pushed by the solid because the contact angles are >90°. On the other hand, in Al–12.6wt.%Si–Sr–Al 2 O 3 composites alloyed with Ca, the Al 2 O 3 particles are engulfed into the solid because the contact angle is

Study on a semi-solid rheo-diecasting process with AZ91D alloy slurry

In this paper, a rheo-diecasting process of AZ91D alloy semi-solid slurry produced with a twin-screw stirring mixer was investigated. The results show that the tensile strength and elongation of the sample made by rheo-diecasting were 37% and 44% higher, respectively, than those produced by conventional liquid diecasting. The castings fabricated by rheo-diecasting possessed good density with low shrinkage and could be heat treated. It is a “near-net shape” production process.

Effects of ultrasonic vibration on microstructure and mechanical properties of nano-sized SiC particles reinforced Al-5Cu composites

Ultrasonic vibration (UV) treatment has been successfully applied to improve the particles distribution of nano-sized SiC particles (SiCp) reinforced Al-5Cu alloy matrix composites which were prepared by combined processes of dry high energy ball milling and squeeze casting. When UV treatment is applied, the distribution of nano-sized SiCp has been greatly improved. After UV for 1 min, large particles aggregates are broken up into small aggregates due to effects of cavitation and the acoustic streaming. After UV for 5 min, all the particles aggregates are dispersed and the particles are uniformly distributed in the composites. Compared with the Al-5Cu matrix alloy, the ultimate tensile strength, yield strength and elongation of the 1 wt% nano-sized SiCp/Al-5Cu composites treated by UV for 5 min are 270 MPa, 173 MPa and 13.3%, which are increased by 7.6%, 6.8% and 29%, respectively. The improvements of mechanical properties after UV are attributed to the uniform distribution of nano particles, grain refinement of aluminum matrix alloy and reduction of porosity in the composites.

Preparation and Squeeze Casting of Nano-SiCP/A356 Composite Assisted with Ultrasonic Vibration Process

Metal matrix nanocomposites (MMNCs) have excited great interest in recent years, due to their very good properties. In this work, an efficient process by combining high-energy ball milling (HBM) with ultrasonic vibration (UV) was employed to prepare MMNCs. The composite granules containing nanoSiCP were produced by milling the nanoSiC and Al powders, and then were remelted in the matrix melt and treated by UV to prepare MMNCs. The MMNCs were finally formed by squeeze casting. The results indicate that globular nanoSiCP/Al compound granules with diameters between 1.5-2mm are obtained by dry HBM, and the nanoSiC particles are uniformly distributed in the granules. After remelting, nanoSiC particles in compound granules release in the matrix melt and are uniformly dispersed by UV within 2min. In MMNCs, nanoSiC particles concentrate mainly around eutectic phases, but no agglomeration is observed. The tensile strength of the MMNCs with 1wt.% nanoSiCP is increased by 19%, compared to the matrix A356 alloy.

Influence of hydrogen levels on porosity and mechanical properties of Mg alloy castings

Abstract The effects of hydrogen levels on microstructure of porosity and mechanical properties of magnesium alloy castings were investigated. The hydrogen content of AZ91 alloy melt under Ar+HFC-134a mixed gas protection was 103 cm3 kg−1, which was less than that of 139 cm3 kg−1 under flux protection, therefore the effect of gas protection was better. The porosity ratio in microstructure of castings melted under gas protection was 1˙8%, which was also less than that of 2˙6% under flux protection. The hydrogen content of melt under flux protection and degassed with Ar gas was 70 cm3 kg−1, and the corresponding porosity ratio in microstructure of castings was only 0˙6%. The density of the samples was increased with decreasing hydrogen content. The tensile strength of AZ91 alloy casting sample under flux protection and degassed with Ar gas was 21% higher than that of undegassed one, and the elongation was also 50% higher.

Effects of Ultrasonic Vibration Treatment on Microstructure of Heat-Resistant Al-Si Alloy

The influences of ultrasonic vibration (USV) treatment on the refining effects of primary Si particles and acicular five-element compounds with rich RE in high silicon Al-Si alloy with complex modification of P and RE were studied. The primary Si particles in this alloy was about 20 μm in size under direct USV for 2 min in the semi-solid temperature range, compared to about 30 μm in the alloy without USV. The primary Si particles in the former distributed more homogeneously and in regular shape, but had lower volume fraction of primary Si than that of the alloy without USV for the solid solubility of Si in α-Al matrix increased with USV. The eutectic Si of this alloy was modified moderately with 0.6% RE and long acicular compounds with rich RE formed which decrease the mechanical properties of alloy for the effect of cutting the matrix. Short rod-like compounds with rich RE about 10~15 μm in length were obtained with the combined effects of USV and T6 heat treatment.

Numerical Simulation of Mould Filling in Rheo-Diecasting Process of Semi-Solid Magnesium Alloys

The mould-filling behavior of rheo-diecasting of semi-solid magnesium alloy and diecasting of liquid magnesium alloy has been simulated with the computer program of numerical simulation developed by the authors. Results show that, under the same diecasting conditions, the filling behavior of rheo-diecasting of semi-solid metals is similar to the liquid diecasting, but mould filling of semi-solid slurry is steadier, and the slurry flows into the mould in a state similar to lamellar flow. The air entrapment in semi-solid process is much smaller than that of liquid diecasting, and the castings made with semi-solid rheo-diecasting excel those with liquid diecasting in quality. Experimental results are in accord with the results of numeral simulation.

Semi-Solid Processing and Properties of RE-Containing Mg Alloys

The RE-containing Mg alloys usually have big RE-rich intermetallic compounds distributed along grain boundaries. In this paper, a 3 wt.% RE containing Mg alloy is processed by combination of semi-solid slurry-making with ultrasonic vibration (UV) and squeeze casting. Results show that good semi-solid slurry with fine and spherical primary α-Mg particles can be obtained due to the effects of the cavitation and acoustic streaming induced by UV, and the average particle size and average shape factor are about 30 μm and 0.70 respectively. The RE-rich intermetallic compounds are refined and uniformly distributed along grain boundaries. With the increase of squeeze pressure from 0 MPa to 200 MPa during the casting of semi-solid slurry, the tensile strength and the elongation of the as-cast samples are increased continuously, which reach 182 MPa and 8.4% respectively. The microstructure is also analyzed with SEM, TEM, XRD and EDS, and the phase constitutions of this Mg-RE-Zn-Y-Zr alloy are mainly α-Mg matrix, α-Zr, W phase (Mg3Zn2Y3), I phase (Mg3Zn6Y) and T phase ((La,Ce)(Mg1-xZnx)11). The mechanism of refinement of RE-rich intermetallic compounds is also discussed.