Inclusion removal and grain refinement of magnesium alloy castings

Magnesium alloys show promise to be materials for lightweighting of automotive and aerospace vehicles improving fuel efficiencies and vehicle performance. A majority of magnesium alloy components are produced using casting where susceptibility to forming inclusions and coarse grain sizes could result. Development of effective inclusion removal techniques and better understanding of grain refinement of magnesium alloys could help in improving their mechanical properties to advance them to more structurally demanding applications. This research aimed to develop an environmentally friendly alternative to the grain refinement and inclusion removal capabilities of carbon based hexachloroethane as it releases dioxins, chlorine gas and corrodes foundry equipment. A secondary aim was to pioneer in-situ neutron diffraction to examine the solidification of magnesium alloys. The research involved preparing tensile samples of AZ91E magnesium alloy using permanent mould casting. Inclusion removal was conducted by using filtration and argon gas bubbling. Castings grain refined using hexachloroethane (0.25, 0.50 and 0.75 wt.%) were compared against ex-situ aluminum-silicon carbide and in-situ aluminum-carbon based grain refiners combined with filtration and argon gas bubbling. Further, in-situ neutron diffraction was utilized for phase analysis and fraction solid determination of magnesium-zinc and magnesium-aluminum alloys. There was a significant improvement in yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and elongation with filtration plus argon bubbling, carbon inoculation or both filtration plus argon bubbling and carbon inoculation. The results indicated that the mechanism of the observed ~20% reduction in grain sizes with carbon inoculation (hexachloroethane, ex-situ aluminum-silicon carbide and in-situ aluminum-carbon) was explained through duplex nucleation of Mn-Al and Al-Mg-C-O (likely Al2MgC2) phases. Finally, in-situ neutron diffraction was used to follow the formation of Mg17Al12 eutectic phase in a magnesium-9 wt.% aluminum alloy. For the magnesium-zinc alloys, in-situ neutron diffraction enabled characterization of the effects of zirconium to the fraction solid growth of (1010), (0002) and (1011) α-Mg planes. The societal and environmental impact of this research is significant. There is a clear demonstration of alternatives to the universally used hexachloroethane grain refiner promoting harmful emissions. Improved mechanical properties resulting from new grain refinement and iv inclusion filtration are a major advancement in promoting weight reduction, improved castability and decreased environmental impact for automotive and aerospace industries.

Inclusion removal and grain refinement of magnesium alloy castings

Magnesium alloys show promise to be materials for lightweighting of automotive and aerospace vehicles improving fuel efficiencies and vehicle performance. A majority of magnesium alloy components are produced using casting where susceptibility to forming inclusions and coarse grain sizes could result. Development of effective inclusion removal techniques and better understanding of grain refinement of magnesium alloys could help in improving their mechanical properties to advance them to more structurally demanding applications. This research aimed to develop an environmentally friendly alternative to the grain refinement and inclusion removal capabilities of carbon based hexachloroethane as it releases dioxins, chlorine gas and corrodes foundry equipment. A secondary aim was to pioneer in-situ neutron diffraction to examine the solidification of magnesium alloys. The research involved preparing tensile samples of AZ91E magnesium alloy using permanent mould casting. Inclusion removal was conducted by using filtration and argon gas bubbling. Castings grain refined using hexachloroethane (0.25, 0.50 and 0.75 wt.%) were compared against ex-situ aluminum-silicon carbide and in-situ aluminum-carbon based grain refiners combined with filtration and argon gas bubbling. Further, in-situ neutron diffraction was utilized for phase analysis and fraction solid determination of magnesium-zinc and magnesium-aluminum alloys. There was a significant improvement in yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and elongation with filtration plus argon bubbling, carbon inoculation or both filtration plus argon bubbling and carbon inoculation. The results indicated that the mechanism of the observed ~20% reduction in grain sizes with carbon inoculation (hexachloroethane, ex-situ aluminum-silicon carbide and in-situ aluminum-carbon) was explained through duplex nucleation of Mn-Al and Al-Mg-C-O (likely Al2MgC2) phases. Finally, in-situ neutron diffraction was used to follow the formation of Mg17Al12 eutectic phase in a magnesium-9 wt.% aluminum alloy. For the magnesium-zinc alloys, in-situ neutron diffraction enabled characterization of the effects of zirconium to the fraction solid growth of (1010), (0002) and (1011) α-Mg planes. The societal and environmental impact of this research is significant. There is a clear demonstration of alternatives to the universally used hexachloroethane grain refiner promoting harmful emissions. Improved mechanical properties resulting from new grain refinement and iv inclusion filtration are a major advancement in promoting weight reduction, improved castability and decreased environmental impact for automotive and aerospace industries.

An Investigation on Duplex Nucleation in AZ91 Magnesium Alloy and Its Influence on High Temperature Mechanical Properties

The grain refinement of Mg–Al alloy AZ91 via carbon inoculation, including the significant role of Mn in advanced nucleation, was analyzed, and the corresponding mechanical properties and aging behavior were investigated. To this end, various amounts of C were added into the liquid at the desired temperatures. Al8Mn5 particles, which are suitable nucleation sites for α-Mg, were identified as the primary grain refiners. In situ particle formation, along with appropriate wetting and a suitable orientation relationship (OR), facilitated the grain refinement mechanism. Al4C3 particles contributed to heterogeneous nucleation by providing suitable Al8Mn5 nucleation sites. Mn removal resulted in poor grain refinement in the Mg–Al alloy. The Hall–Petch relationship, high-temperature tensile behavior, and aging mechanism of the samples refined by 1 wt % C addition (as the best grain refiner) are discussed and compared with industrial practice.

Grain Refinement and Mechanism of Carbon Inoculation in Mg-Al Magnesium Alloys

Grain refinement is important for improving the microstructure and mechanical properties of magnesium alloys. Carbon inoculation is an effective method of grain refinement process for magnesium alloys containing aluminum. In this paper, the C2Cl6 and graphite powder were used as the potential grain refiners for AM60 and AZ91 alloys, respectively. The results show that the microstructure and mechanical properties of these Mg-Al magnesium alloys have been improved with these grain refiners. The mechanism and thermodynamics analyses of grain refinement with carbon inoculation in Mg-Al magnesium alloy have been discussed.

Effects of Mn Addition and Addition Sequence on Carbon Inoculation of Mg-3%Al Alloy

The Mg-3% Al melt was treated by carbon inoculation and Mn addition. The effects of Mn addition and addition sequence on the grain refinement were investigated. The effect of Mn on the grain refinement of Mg-3 %Al alloy by carbon inoculation was closely associated with the operating sequence of carbon inoculation and Mn addition.Mn has no obvious effect on the grain refinement under the condition that Mn pre-existed in the Mg-Al melt before carbon inoculation. However, Mn played an inhibiting role under the condition that the Mg-Al melt had been inoculated by carbon before Mn addition. The Al4C3 particles should act as potent nucleating substrates for Mg grains in the sample treated by carbon inoculation. However, the Al-C-Mn particles with Al4C3 coating film could be observed in the sample treated by Mn addition and then carbon inoculation. These particles with duplex phase structure should also act as potent nucleating substrates for Mg grains, resulting in grain refinement. The nucleating potency of most Al4C3 particles was possibly poisoned by the formation of Al-Mn-rich coating film or the Al-C-Mn intermetallic compound, resulting in grain coarsening in the samples treated by carbon inoculation before Mn addition.