The grain refinement of high-purity aluminum by aluminum-transition metal alloys

In view of the continuing interest in the solidification characteristics of dilute Al-Ti alloys,¹ a recent study² of the mechanism(s) of grain refinement induced in high purity aluminum by various additions of master alloys containing Ti, B, Cr, Mo, V and Zr is reported. For alloys containing more than 0.2 wt pct Ti, TiAl₃ was shown to be commonly a nucleant, in both Al-Ti and Al-Ti-B systems. In addition, it was found that the nature of the master alloys is important in determining the degree of grain refinement a given alloying addition will produce. A “saturation” effect is reported for additions of Ti, and ti-B,i.e., further additions of titanium beyond a given level do not provide any further reduction in grain size.     

The effect of lead and thallium on eutectic grain structures in zinc-aluminum alloys

Abstract

The influence of small additions of lead or thallium on the eutectic grain structure in zinc-aluminum alloys has been studied. With slow solidification, thallium or lead at low concentrations cause large increases in the grain size. With more rapid solidification they promote columnar grains. Autoradiography has shown that at slow growth rates, when thallium is present in concentrations so low that there is no increase in grain size, the eutectic grains grow with planar interfaces. At higher thallium contents, where grain size enhancement becomes noticeable, the grains grow with non-planar interfaces. It is argued that the non-planar growth form leads to the observed increased grain size.

Résumé

Nous avons ;amp;#x00E9;tudié l'effet de petites additions de plomb et de thallium sur la structure des grains d'eutectique d'alliages de zincet d'aluminium. Quand la vitesse de solidification est faiblede telles additions ont pour effet une augmentation considérable de la taille des grains. Quand les additions de thallium sont suffisamment faibles pour ne pas modifier la taille des grains, nous voyons, par autoradiographie que, à faible vitesse de solidification, les grains d'eutectique croissent selon une interface plane.A plus forte concentration de thallium, là où on note une augmentation de la taille des grains, la croissance n'est plus plane. Cette croissance selon une interface non plane serait la cause de l'augmentation de la taille des grains.     

铝合金等通道挤压晶粒细化机制

本文讨论铝合金在等通道挤压过程中的晶粒细化机制。发生的晶粒细化主要通过三种机制完成：1)取向分裂诱发形变带;2)应变集中产生的宏观或微观剪切带;3)高角度晶界随应变增加。形变条件和路径、模具几何及材料参数决定形变组织的演化。亚结构和显微剪切带的取向与模具剪切面一致但在原则上与材料的晶体位错滑移系统无关。形变带的晶体取向倾向接近在路径A下稳定织构的取向。在高应变,由于显微组织的压缩和拉长造成的晶界面积增加成为主要晶粒细化机制。变形至一定应变后,形变进入稳态,晶粒细化不再发生。     

The mechanisms of grain refinement in dilute aluminum alloys

The contribution of the peritectic reaction in producing grain refinement in aluminum alloys has been studied in three binary aluminum systems. It appears that titanium has a unique effect compared with zirconium or chromium; there is evidence of a refinement mechanism associated with the peritectic reaction in Al?Ti alloys which was not observed in the other two systems. Additions of boron to Al?Ti and Al?Zr alloys emphasizes the difference in effect of these two transition elements as grain refiners. The significance of the present work is discussed with reference to conflicts apparent in earlier experimental data.     

The mechanism of grain refinement during solidification of Zn-Ti base alloys

Through cooling curve determinations, metallography, and electron microprobe analysis the mechanism of grain refinement in Zn-Ti and Zn-Ti-Cu alloys was determined. It is shown that zinc-titanium-oxide particles in the melt act as nucleants. Through probe analysis and considerations of matching of crystallographic planes it appears that the nuclei are the spinel Zn₂TiO₄. Additions of lead to Zn-Ti melts drastically reduces the effectiveness of the nucleant.     

脉冲电磁场凝固组织细化和均质化技术研究与应用进展

由于金属凝固过程中选分结晶的作用,不可避免地会出现成分不均匀现象。连铸过程中由于强制冷却,这种成分不均匀现象更为严重。这不仅影响了铸坯和铸锭后续加工性能,并影响了最终产品质量和性能的均匀性和稳定性。研究和生产实践表明,细化凝固组织是解决成分不均匀性的有效手段。脉冲电磁场因能耗低、施加方便、细晶效果显著,近年来得到了广泛关注,有望成为冶金界广泛应用的凝固组织细化和均质化技术。分别介绍脉冲电流、脉冲磁场和脉冲磁致振荡3种脉冲电磁场凝固组织细化和均质化技术的研究现状和应用进展。     

Influence of grain refinement on some mechanical properties of non ferrous cast alloys

The influence of the grain refining method on some mechanical properties of non ferrous casting, by analyzing published data, is presented. Grain refining methods are grouped into: cooling rate control; nucleant agents addition; and mechanical agitation. Grain size decrease influence on the reported mechanical properties can be grouped into: decrease; improvement; and no observed influence. This analysis shows that there is a relationship between the grain refining method and the mechanical behavior of the studied alloys.     

Effect of grain refinement on the fluidity of two commercial Al-Si foundry alloys

The effect of grain refinement on the fluidity of AlSi7Mg and AlSi11Mg has been investigated by spiral tests. Two different types of grain refiners have been evaluated. An AlTi5Bl master alloy was added to different Ti contents. Since the commercial alloys had a high initial content of titanium, model alloys were made to investigate the fluidity at low grain refiner additions. Commercial alloys grain refined only by boron additions have also been investigated. The results from the fluidity measurements have been verified by measuring the dendrite coherency point of the different cast alloys. Although different, the two methods show similar trends. The spirals from each fraction grain refiner cast were subsequently investigated metallographically at the tip of the spirals and at a reference point a distance behind, but no obvious difference in structure was observed. For both alloys, an increase in fluidity is observed as the content of grain refiner increases above 0.12 pct Ti, while the fluidity is impaired with increased grain refinement below 0.12 pct Ti. The alloys grain refined with ~0.015 pct B show the highest fraction solid at dendrite coherency, the smallest grain size, and the best fluidity.     

Characterization of the damping properties of die-cast zinc-aluminum alloys

Characterization of the mechanical damping properties of a series of die-cast zinc-aluminum alloys is described. Over the range of variables (temperature, frequency, and vibration strain amplitude) normally encountered in service applications, it is shown that the damping consists of two components. Both components are due to linear relaxation mechanisms: the first is a thermoelastic relaxation and the second is the low-temperature tail of a broadened boundary relaxation. Some of the alloys exhibit elevated damping levels over a useful frequency range, particularly at the temperatures encountered in under-hood applications in automobiles. This paper is based on a presentation made in the symposium “Acoustic/Vibration Damping Materials” presented during the TMS Fall Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, October 1–5, 1989, under the auspices of the TMS Physical Metallurgy Committee.     

低成本高性能粉末冶金钛合金

粉末冶金是短流程制备低成本、高性能钛及钛合金的有效方法。低成本氢化脱氢（HDH）钛粉可用于制备粉末冶金钛合金制件,但由于受间隙原子含量高、烧结致密度低和微观组织粗大等因素影响,使粉末冶金钛制品的组织性能优势得不到发挥。实验采用氢化脱氢钛粉—冷等静压—真空烧结的技术路线制备了Ti-6Al-4V烧结坯,间隙原子含量低（O<0.16 wt.%, N<0.05 wt.%, H<0.015 wt.%）,具有均匀细小的近等轴?组织,良好的室温拉伸性能（UTS>930 MPa, YS>870 MPa, El>14%）。实验同时表明了HDH工艺制备低间隙原子含量钛粉的可行性,间隙原子含量的增加主要源于粉末及压坯的操作、转移和储存过程。得益于粉末冶金钛合金的细晶和近终成形特点,它无需通过开坯锻造,并且近成型的烧结坯能够提高材料利用率,减少后续热加工变形量及加工道次。因此,以粉末钛合金烧结坯替代锻坯进行后续的塑性加工能够大幅度降低钛合金构件及型材的成本。     

淬火/回火热处理对TiAl基合金晶粒细化的影响

研究了淬火/回火热处理中淬火温度和回火时间对Ti48Al2Cr0.5Mo合金晶粒细化的影响。研究结果表明:一定的淬火/回火热处理能将粒径约为1 000 μm的铸态组织细化成为18～30 μm的均匀双态组织。TiAl基合金的细化效果与淬火阶段的加热温度密切相关,温度升高,得到的块状组织较细,羽毛状组织体积分数减少。在两相区回火时,高温淬火组织的回火组织较细,而随时间的延长晶粒长大,但不明显。此外,从理论上探讨了淬火/回火工艺细化TiAl基合金显微组织的机理。     

Influence of grain refinement on hot tearing in B206 and A319 aluminum alloys

Aluminum-copper (Al-Cu) and aluminum-silicon-copper (Al-Si-Cu) alloys are among the most common aluminum casting alloys. Aluminum alloy B206 is a relatively new Al-Cu alloy with high strength and ductility at room and elevated temperatures, while A319 is an Al-Si-Cu alloy with good strength and excellent wear resistance. However, despite their advantages, when these alloys are cast via the permanent mold casting (PMC) process, they show a high susceptibility to hot tearing. Grain refinement has shown promise as a means to reducing hot tears in aluminum alloys. In this study, Ti-B grain refiner was used to investigate the effect of grain refinement on hot tearing in B206 and A319 aluminum alloys during permanent mold casting. The results suggest that Ti-B additions significantly reduced hot tearing in B206 and A319. Grain sizes were also seen to reduce significantly in both alloys with addition of Ti-B grain refiner. However, Ti-B grain refiner had a diverse effect on alloy grain morphology, as a dendritic morphology in B206 was transformed to a more globular one, while in A319, the grain structure remained dendritic.     

The role of solute in grain refinement of magnesium

The effect of separate solute additions of Al, Zr, Sr, Si, and Ca on grain size of Mg has been investigated. Increasing the Al content in hypoeutectic Mg-Al alloys resulted in a continuous reduction in grain size up to 5 wt pct Al, reaching a relatively constant grain size for higher Al contents (above 5 wt pct). The effect of Sr additions was investigated in both low- and high-Al content magnesium alloys, and it was found that Sr had a significant grain refining effect in low-Al containing alloys but a negligible effect on grain size in Mg-9Al. Additions of Zr, Si, and Ca to pure magnesium resulted in efficient grain refinement. The grain refinement is mainly caused by their growth restriction effects, i.e., constitutional undercooling, during solidification, but the effect of nucleant particles, either introduced with the alloying additions or as secondary phases formed as a result of these additions, may enhance the grain refinement. A brief review of grain refinement of magnesium alloys is included in this article to provide an update on research in this field.     

Grain refinement of magnesium alloys

The literature on grain refinement of magnesium alloys is reviewed with regard to two broad groups of alloys: alloys that contain aluminum and alloys that do not contain aluminum. The alloys that are free of aluminum are generally very well refined by Zr master alloys. On the other hand, the understanding of grain refinement in aluminum bearing alloys is poor and in many cases confusing probably due to the interaction between impurity elements and aluminum in affecting the potency of nucleant particles. A grain refinement model that was developed for aluminum alloys is presented, which takes into account both alloy chemistry and nucleant particle potency. This model is applied to experimental data for a range of magnesium alloys. It is shown that by using this analytical approach, new information on the refinement of magnesium alloys is obtained as well as providing a method of characterizing the effectiveness of new refiners. The new information revealed by the model has identified new directions for further research. Future research needs to focus on gaining a better understanding of the detailed mechanisms by which refinement occurs and gathering data to improve our ability to predict grain refinement for particular combinations of alloy and impurity chemistry and nucleant particles. This article is based on a presentation made in the symposium entitled “Phase Transformations and Deformation in Magnesium Alloys,” which occurred during the Spring TMS meeting, March 14–17, 2004, in Charlotte, NC, under the auspices of ASM-MSCTS Phase Transformations Committee.