Surface modification of aluminum alloys in molten salts containing CeCl3

A process for surface modification of A16061-T6 has been carried out in molten salts containing Ce such as a NaCl---SnCl₂---CeCl₃ melt at 200 °C. Samples treated in molten salts for 2 h were subsequently exposed to a NaCl solution for 30 days to evaluate resistance against pitting corrosion. The coating mechanism in molten salts and the pitting corrosion behavior of the coated material have been studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results show that this coating technique enhances the pitting corrosion resistance of aluminum alloys in contact with sea water.     

钛合金熔体活度计算及合金与铸型的界面反应

在深入分析Miedema合金生成热模型的基础之上,运用化学反应和溶液热力学理论对钛熔体中溶质元素的活度系数进行了理论计算,进而评述了钛合金熔体的化学活性变化程度,通过对Ti6A14V合金和Ti15V3Cr3Sn3Al合金与所选择的耐火氧化物类铸材料的实验研究结果分析,可以认为添加合金元素以后钛熔体的化学活泼性并没有发生实质性的改变,由于熔体仍然具有相当高的化学活性,导致合金与铸型之间的界面反应是严重的,计算与实验结果吻合,同时所进行的理论分析和实验研究对于铸用高稳定性铸型材料的选择,铸优质的钛合金铸件具有一定的理论和实际指导作用。     

金属材料在铝液中腐蚀行为的研究

为获得铝液腐蚀工况下金属材料的选用原则,运用静态铝液浸没腐蚀试验,研究了QT350、HT300、H13、Cr13、Ta、Mo在铝液中的腐蚀行为.结果表明:所选金属材料在试验条件下均与铝液反应生成金属间化合物层;所选金属材料在铝液中的平均腐蚀深度由高到低依次为QT350、H13、Cr13、HT300、Ta、Mo,难熔金属Ta、Mo具有优异的耐铝液腐蚀性能;QT350、HT300、H13、Cr13腐蚀后表面形成大量点状蚀坑,其在铝液中的腐蚀为非均匀腐蚀;Ta、Mo腐蚀后表面平整,其在铝液中的腐蚀为均匀腐蚀.     

Pressure infiltration of boron nitride preforms with molten aluminum for low density heat sink materials

Cubic boron nitride (cBN) has outstanding mechanical and thermal properties. The previous research focused on mechanical properties, to data, the thermal property of cBN has rarely been reported. In this work, a wide range of aluminum/cubic boron nitride (Al/cBN) composites were fabricated by pressure infiltration at 5.0 GPa and 960–1600 °C. The microstructure, phase composition, thermal conductivity and coefficient of thermal expansion of the Al/cBN composites were investigated. The results showed that a maximum thermal conductivity of 266 W/mK and the coefficient of thermal expansion of 4–6 × 10^?6 K^?1 which matches well to semiconductors, indicating that the Al/cBN composites are promised heat sink materials of high efficiency for the wide band gap semiconductors.     

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy of molten aluminum alloy

We have demonstrated that a fiber-optic laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) probe is suitable for measuring the concentration of minor constituents of a molten Al alloy in a laboratory furnace. For the first time to our knowledge we are able to record the LIBS spectra in several spectral regions of seven different molten Al alloy samples by inserting the LIBS probe inside the molten alloys, allowing us to obtain a ratio calibration curve for minor constituents (Cr, Mg, Zn, Cu, Si, etc.), using Fe as a reference element. A ratio calibration curve for Fe with a major element (Al) can also be obtained with which the concentration of Fe in the alloy can be determined. The effects of the surrounding atmosphere on the LIBS spectra of the molten alloy were investigated. Effects of focal length of the lens on the LIBS signals were also studied. LIBS spectra of a solid Al alloy recorded with the same LIBS probe were compared with the LIBS spectra of the molten alloy. Our results suggest that the LIBS probe is useful for monitoring the elemental composition of an Al melt in an industrial furnace at different depths and different positions inside the melt.     

夹杂聚集—铝合金净化新思路

从分析铝合金熔体各种净化机制对夹杂尺寸的依赖性入手，指出夹杂物聚集长大对熔体净化具有重要意义，得出如何有效促使夹杂聚集长大是今后铝合金熔体净化的新思路。     

快速测定铝及铝合金中含铁量的分析法

采用铁的次灵敏线,分析精密度准确度都较好,操作又十分简捷。建立了快速测定铝及铝合金中含铁量的分析方法。     

Stress-corrosion crack growth in aluminum alloys

A macroscopic study of the growth of a stress corrosion crack in an aluminum alloy was undertaken by using the optical method of caustics. The dependence of the crack-tip stress intensity factors K_I on the applied stress, as well as on the molarity of a NaCl aqueous solution was studied in detail. The calculation of these quantities was made by taking into account the thickness variation of the specimen due to the corrosive environment. A criterion of the crack growth in terms of the caustics obtained by illuminating the cracked specimen by a light beam was formulated and the corresponding values of the threshold stress intensity factor K_ISCC were accurately determined. Finally, the creation and the evolution of the pits developed at the vicinity of the crack tip was studied and their significance on the mechanisms of fracture of the specimens was examined.     

Effect of acoustic cavitation on ease of infiltration of molten aluminum alloys into carbon fiber bundles using ultrasonic infiltration method

Continuous M40J carbon fiber reinforced aluminum–magnesium alloy composite wires have been fabricated using ultrasonic infiltration. The infiltration phenomenon is examined from the viewpoint of acoustic cavitation. The ease of infiltration of the molten alloys was found to be proportional to the maximum intensity of the acoustic cavitation. The ease of infiltration and the intensity were enhanced by the addition of surfactant elements into the molten aluminum. Thus, a decrease in surface tension caused an increase in the generation of acoustic cavitation thereby resulting in infiltration. Therefore, the generation of the acoustic cavitation is an infiltration controlling factor during the use of ultrasonic vibration.     

Ultrasonic techniques for imaging and measurements in molten aluminum

In order to achieve net shape forming, processing of aluminum (Al) in the molten state is often necessary. However, few sensors and techniques have been reported in the literature due to difficulties associated with molten Al, such as high temperature, corrosiveness, and opaqueness. In this paper, development of ultrasonic techniques for imaging and measurements in molten Al using buffer rods operated at 10 MHz is presented. The probing end of the buffer rod, having a flat surface or an ultrasonic lens, was immersed into molten Al while the other end with an ultrasonic transducer was air-cooled to room temperature. An ultrasonic image of a character "N", engraved on a stainless steel plate immersed in molten Al, and its corrosion have been observed at 780 degrees C using the focused probe in ultrasonic pulse-echo mode. Because cleanliness of molten Al is crucial for part manufacturing and recycling in Al processing, inclusion detection experiments also were carried out using the nonfocused probe in pitch-catch and pulse-echo modes. Backscattered ultrasonic signals from manually added silicon carbide particles, with an average diameter of 50 microm, in molten Al have been successfully observed at 780 degrees C. For optimal image quality, the spatial resolution of the focused probe was crucial, and the high signal-to-noise ratio of the nonfocused probe was the prime factor responsible for the inclusion detection sensitivity using backscattered ultrasonic signals. In addition, it was found that ultrasound could provide an alternative method for evaluating the degree of wetting between a solid material and a molten metal. Our experimental results showed that there was no ultrasonic coupling at the interface between an alumina rod and molten Al up to 1000 degrees C; therefore, no wetting existed at this interface. Also because ultrasonic velocity in alumina is temperature dependent, this rod proved to be able to be used as an in-line temperature monitoring sensor under 1000 degrees C in molten Al.     

Durability of alkali-activated fly ash cementitious materials

The study described in the present paper addresses the durability of alkali-activated fly ash (AAFA) cement under different conditions: specifically, cement performance is measured in a number of aggressive environments (deionized water, ASTM seawater, sodium sulphate and acidic solutions) and with respect to alkali–silica reaction-induced expansion. The chief parameters studied are: weight loss, compressive strength, variations in volume, presence of the products of degradation and microstructural changes. The results show that AAFA pastes perform satisfactorily in aggressive environments and that degradation in these materials is distinctly different from such processes in OPC paste. These mortars are also compliant with the 16-day expansion limit stipulated in ASTM standard C1260-94 on potential alkali–silica reactivity.     

Hydrogen-enhanced stress-corrosion cracking of aluminum alloys

We present the results of the investigation of Al-Zn-Mg and Al-Zn-Cu-Mg alloys in NaCl solutions at low strain rates. The contribution of hydrogen to the process of stress-corrosion cracking is analyzed by taking into account the influence of the admixtures of arsenic trioxide and residual hydrogen (remaining after the processes of release and cathodic polarization) on the susceptibility of metals to this kind of cracking. A mechanism of hydrogen-assisted stress-corrosion cracking taking into account the time dependence of the microstructure of grain boundaries, concentration of hydrogen, and its distribution is suggested on the basis of the concept of critical concentration of hydrogen. Technical University of Gdansk, Poland. Published in Fizyko-Khimichna Mekhanika Materialiv, Vol. 34, No. 4, pp. 20–26, July–August, 1998.     

Characterization of close-celled cellular aluminum alloys

The deformation behaviour of two different types of aluminium alloy foam are studied under tension, compression, shear and hydrostatic pressure. Foams having closed cells are processed via batch casting, whereas foams with semi-open cells are processed by negative pressure infiltration. The influence of relative foam density, cell structure and cell orientation on the stiffness and strength of foams is studied; the deformation mechanisms are analysed by using video imaging and SEM (scanning electronic microscope). The measured dependence of stiffness and strength upon relative foam density are compared with analytical predictions. The measured stress versus strain curves along different loading paths are compared with predictions from a phenomenological constitutive model. It is found that the deformations of both types of foams are dominated by cell wall bending, attributed to various process induced imperfections in the cellualr structure. The closed cell foam is found to be isotropic, whereas the semi-open cell foam shows strong anisotropy.     

Degassing of aluminum alloys during re-melting

The evolution of porosity during re-melting of near-eutectic casting Al alloys has been investigated in-situ using X-ray micro-focus radiography. During re-melting process, gas bubbles float out of the melt quickly when the liquid melt interface passes through them. Based on the degassing phenomenon from the real-time observation, several re-melting experiments were carried out with pure aluminum and a hypoeutectic Al-7%Si-0.4%Mg (A356) in addition to the near-eutectic Al-13%Si alloys. The results clearly show that the area fraction of porosity in the final Al castings decreases dramatically after re-melting one or two times, of which the mechanism is discussed in this paper.     

Structure of rapidly solidified aluminum alloys

This paper is a summary of an extensive research program carried out by the authors on the structure of rapidly solidified aluminum alloys; and a comparison with the work of others also involved in this field. The paper discusses the changes in the dendritic and non-dendritic structure of the matrix at cooling rates from 10^–3 to 10¹⁰ K/s and discusses the hetergeneity of the structure caused by interdendritic-segretion during solidification.