Microstructure refinement of AZ91D alloy solidified with pulsed magnetic field

The effects of pulsed magnetic field on the solidified microstructure of an AZ91D magnesium alloy were investigated. The experimental results show that the remarkable microstructural refinement is achieved when the pulsed magnetic field is applied in the solidification of AZ91D alloy. The average grain size of the as-cast microstructure of AZ91D alloy is refined to 104 μm. Besides the grain refinement, the morphology of the primary α-Mg is changed from dendritic to rosette, then to globular shape with changing the parameters of the pulsed magnetic field. The pulsed magnetic field causes melt convection during solidification, which makes the temperature of the whole melt homogenized, and produces an undercooling zone in front of the liquid/solid interface by the magnetic pressure, which makes the nucleation rate increased and big dendrites prohibited. In addition, primary α-Mg dendrites break into fine crystals, resulting in a refined solidification structure of the AZ91D alloy. The Joule heat effect induced in the melt also strengthens the grain refinement effect and spheroidization of dendrite arms.     

Grain refinement of Sn-Pb alloy under a novel combined pulsed magnetic field during solidification

The combined pulsed magnetic field (C-PMF) obtained by simultaneously imposing pulsed and static magnetic field during solidification has been proposed to refine the solidification structure. Compared to the imposition of a single pulsed magnetic field, a more refined structure can be observed under C-PMF. The key factors to affect grain refinement under C-PMF consisted of the vibration frequency characterized by the static magnetic field, pulsed discharge voltage, and the vibration frequency characterized by the pulsed discharge frequency. The microstructure revealed that the grain size decreased with the increasing static magnetic field. The pulsed discharge voltage had an optimum value for obtaining fine grains. Furthermore, when the pulsed discharge frequency was equal to the intrinsic frequency of the liquid metal in a filled cylindrical vessel, resonance vibration occurred in the liquid surface, and grain refinement was promoted.     

Distributions of Electromagnetic Fields and Forced Flow and Their Relevance to the Grain Refinement in Al-Si Alloy Under the Application of Pulsed Magneto-Oscillation

Distributions of electromagnetic fields and induced forced flow inside a metal melt are crucial to understand the grain refinement of the metal driven by pulsed magneto-oscillation (PMO). In the present study, PMO-induced electromagnetic fields and forced flow in Ga-20wt%In-12wt%Sn liquid metal have been systematically investigated by performing numerical simulations and corresponding experimental measurements. The numerical simulations have been confirmed by magnetic and melt flow measurements. According to the simulated distribution of electromagnetic fields under the application of PMO, the strongest magnetic field, electric eddy current and Lorentz force with inward radial direction inside the melt are concentrated adjacent the sidewall of cylindrical melt at the cross section of middle height of coil. As a result, a global forced flow throughout the whole cylindrical column filled with Ga-20wt%In-12wt%Sn melt is initiated with a flow structure of two pair of symmetric vortex ring. The PMO-induced electromagnetic fields and forced flow in Al-7wt%Si melt have been numerically simulated. The contribution of electromagnetic fields and forced flow to the grain refinement of Al-7wt%Si alloy under the application of PMO is discussed. It indicates that the forced flow may play a key role in the grain size reduction.     

Microstructure refinement of AZ31 alloy solidified with pulsed magnetic field

The effects of a pulsed magnetic field on the solidified microstructure of an AZ31 magnesium alloy were investigated. The experimental results show that the remarkable microstructural refinement is achieved when the pulsed magnetic field is applied to the solidification of the AZ31 alloy. The average grain size of the as-cast microstructure of the AZ31 alloy is refined to 107 μm. By quenching the AZ31 alloy, the different primary α-Mg microstructures are preserved during the course of solidification. The microstructure evolution reveals that the primary α-Mg generates and grows in globular shape with pulsed magnetic field, contrast with the dendritic shape without pulsed magnetic field. The pulsed magnetic field causes melt convection during solidification, which makes the temperature of the whole melt homogenized, and produces an undercooling zone in front of the liquid/solid interface, which makes the nucleation rate increased and big dendrites prohibited. In addition, the Joule heat effect induced in the melt also strengthens the grain refinement effect and spheroidization of dendrite arms.     

Grain refinement of pure aluminum by direct current pulsed magnetic field and inoculation

The combined effects of direct current pulsed magnetic field (DC-PMF) and inoculation on pure aluminum were investigated, the grain refinement behavior of DC-PMF and inoculation was discussed. The experimental results indicate that the solidification micro structure of pure aluminum can be greatly refined under DC-PMF. Refinement of pure aluminum is attributed to electromagnetic undercooling and forced convection caused by DC-PMF. With single DC-PMF, the grain size in the equiaxed zone is uneven. However, under DC-PMF, by adding 0.05% (mass fraction) Al–5Ti–B, the grain size of the sample is smaller, and the size distribution is more uniform than that of single DC-PMF. Furthermore, under the combination of DC-PMF and inoculation, with the increase of output current, the grain size is further reduced. When the output current increases to 100 A, the average grain size can decrease to 113 μm.     

旋转磁场对Mg15Al高铝镁合金凝固组织的影响

利用旋转磁场控制Mg15Al二元高铝镁合金凝固过程,以期获得均匀细小的等轴晶,使合金后续的等通道挤压能顺利进行.通过OM、SEM、EDS测试手段研究了旋转磁场对合金凝固组织及溶质分配的影响.结果表明:旋转磁场主要通过与金属液流相互作用引起强烈的旋流而产生搅拌作用来影响合金的温度场与溶质场的分布,故能够显著细化Mg15Al二元高铝镁合金组织中的初晶a-Mg,促进Al在初晶a-Mg中的固溶,但对于在凝固末期才形成的共晶组织而言,由于凝固末期所剩液相形不成有效流动,其形态受旋转磁场影响不大.随励磁电压增大,晶粒细化效果增加,励磁电压为60 V时,晶粒细化效果最佳,A1在初晶a-Mg中固溶量最高,励磁电压继续增加,由于磁场感生热增加将弱化二次冷却,使晶粒细化效果下降.     

Effect of wide-spectrum pulsed magnetic field on grain refinement of pure aluminium

A wide-spectrum pulsed magnetic field(WSPMF) was obtained by adjusting the number of current pulses and the pulse interval between adjacent pulses. The effect of WSPMF on the grain refinement of pure aluminium was studied. The distribution of electromagnetic force and flow field in the melt under the WSPMF was simulated to reveal the grain refining mechanism. Results show that the grain refinement is attributed to the combined effect of the melt flow and oscillation under a WSPMF. When the pulse...     

低压脉冲磁场对铸态IN718高温合金凝固组织细化的影响

研究低压脉冲磁场对IN718高温合金凝固组织细化的影响。结果表明：在低压脉冲磁场作用下可以获得完全细小的等轴晶组织。熔体冷却速度和过热度显著影响低压脉冲磁场的细化效果,降低冷却速度和过热度有利于提高脉冲磁场的细化效果。利用商业有限元软件模拟计算高温合金凝固过程中熔体中的电磁力和流场分布情况以揭示脉冲磁场的细化机制。认为脉冲磁场引起的熔体对流,以及同熔体冷却速度和过热度的合理配合是合金凝固组织细化的主要原因。     

磁场类型对金属凝固机理的影响研究综述*

利用磁场辅助制备的合金综合性能优异,广泛应用在工业生产、交通运输、航空航天等领域。不同磁场参数环境下合金硬度、耐磨性等服役性能有所差异,作用机理复杂多变。对新工艺驱动下不同磁场对金属凝固过程的作用规律进行总结, 弥补目前磁场辅助金属表面加工方法的研究短板,对金属表面工程发展有重大意义。归纳科研人员在不同磁场环境对金属表面加工的研究探索,分析对比金属材料在不同类型磁场环境下的晶核形核和生长过程差异,总结金属凝固过程在不同磁场下的变化规律,如晶界形貌改善、形核率提高、晶粒细化等。从晶粒微观形貌和合金宏观性能表现两方面出发,分析磁场作用下熔体内部传热传质变化,揭示稳恒磁场、脉冲磁场和交变磁场对金属凝固影响的作用机理,讨论不同参数的磁场对熔体作用效果差异,如磁场对熔池内部流动扰动、熔体内带电粒子受到的洛伦兹力等。综上,晶粒细化、合金性能提高是磁场作用下熔池传热传质变化和磁场作用力的综合体现。综合研究对比稳恒磁场、脉冲磁场和交变磁场对金属凝固的作用特点和作用机理,综述金属凝固领域当前热点问题,有助于统一磁场环境下金属凝固机理的争论,填补磁场环境下金属表面加工工艺的空白,对推进高性能金属表面制备研究有借鉴意义。     

Controlling microstructures of AZ31 magnesium alloys by an electromagnetic vibration technique during solidification: From experimental observation to theoretical understanding

This paper examines the microstructure formation of magnesium-based AZ31 alloys solidified in a magnetic field with the imposition of an alternating current, from which an electromagnetic vibration force is yielded. The grain structure was characterized, revealing that refined equiaxed grains could be yielded at a frequency range from ∼500 Hz to less than 2000 Hz. When the vibration frequency was too low or too high, coarse structures could be obtained. In the mushy zone, a significant difference in electronic resistivity between a solid and a liquid drives the solid to move much faster than the surrounding liquid, thus yielding relative velocity and relative displacement, due to which a dendrite may be segmented into pieces. This motion generates agitation in the semisolid stage, thus making the microstructure more random and resulting in deformation twins. At low frequencies, the coarse structure may be due to the suppression of macrofluid flow by a high magnetic field. Grain refinement occurs at the frequency interval where the mobile leading solid is vibrated beyond the solute operating region, in which the relative displacement covered by the solid is larger than the thickness of solute equivalent boundary layer. At high frequencies, the relative displacement is so small that it is always less than the thickness of the solute boundary layer and the vibration cannot alter the solute pile-up ahead of the solid/liquid interface of the growing crystals. Thus, it is similar to that in normal casting and always produces very coarse structures.     

电磁组合场对镁合金凝固组织的影响

研究了不同电磁组合场对AZ61镁合金凝固组织的影响.结果表明,在静磁场作用下,镁合金的凝固组织为等轴晶,晶界上的结晶相成网状分布;在静磁场与工频交流电组合场作用下,其凝固组织与只施加静磁场时类似,基本为等轴晶,但由于交流电的施加晶粒明显得到细化,晶界上结晶相的网状结构也变得细小;而在镁合金凝固过程中同时施加静磁场和直流电流组合场时,由于组合场产生的熔体内部的定向力作用的结果,凝固组织主要为蔷薇状晶粒,组织得到明显的净化,其晶界上结晶相的网状结构彻底消失,以不连续的薄条状和点状形态分布.     

超声半连铸下7050合金大扁锭的微观组织及宏观偏析行为

在500mm×1320mm的7050铝合金扁锭铸造中引入超声外场,研究常规铸造与超声铸造下的微观组织形貌、分布和宏观偏析特征。结果表明,超声外场可以有效减小晶粒的尺寸、抑制组织中粗枝晶的产生并促进铸锭内组织的均匀分布;同时,加入超声场后,溶质元素Zn、Mg、Cu沿长度方向和宽度方向对称轴的偏析指数分别由0.1013、0.1117、0.1260和0.1119、0.1113、0.1281减小到0.0835、0.0790、0.1027和0.0743、0.0725、0.0841,沿铸锭不同方向的宏观偏析均得到有效弱化。超声的空化和声流作用改变液穴中的温度场和流场,改善晶体的形成环境,促进溶质元素的均匀分布,从而细化组织、弱化宏观偏析。     

Microstructure formation and grain refinement of Mg-based alloys by electromagnetic vibration technique

The microstructure formation and grains refinement of two Mg-based alloys, i.e. AZ31 and AZ91D, were reported using an electromagnetic vibration （EMV） technique. These two alloys were solidified at various vibration frequencies and the microstructures were observed. The average size of grains was quantitatively measured as a function of vibration frequencies. Moreover, the grain size distribution was outlined versus number fraction. A novel model was proposed to account for the microstructure formation and grain refinement when considering the significant difference of the electrical resistivity properties of the solid and the liquid during EMV processing in the semisolid state. The remarkable difference originates uncoupled movement between the mobile solid and the sluggish liquid, which can activate melt flow. The microstructure evolution can be well explained when the fluid flow intensity versus vibration frequency is taken into account. Moreover, the influence of the static magnetic field on texture formation is also considered, which plays an important role at higher vibration frequencies.     

Effect of harmonic magnetic field and pulse magnetic field on microstructure of high purity Cu during electromagnetic direct chill casting

The effects of two types of magnetic fields, namely harmonic magnetic field (HMF) and pulse magnetic field (PMF) on magnetic flux density, Lorentz force, temperature field, and microstructure of high purity Cu were studied by numerical simulation and experiment during electromagnetic direct chill casting. The magnetic field is induced by a magnetic generation system including an electromagnetic control system and a cylindrical crystallizer of 300 mm in diameter equipped with excitation coils. A comprehensive mathematical model for high purity Cu electromagnetic casting was established in finite element method. The distributions of magnetic flux density and Lorentz force generated by the two magnetic fields were acquired by simulation and experimental measurement. The microstructure of billets produced by HMF and PMF casting was compared. Results show that the magnetic flux density and penetrability of PMF are significantly higher than those of HMF, due to its faster variation in transient current and higher peak value of magnetic flux density. In addition, PMF drives a stronger Lorentz force and deeper penetration depth than HMF does, because HMF creates higher eddy current and reverse electromagnetic field which weakens the original electromagnetic field. The microstructure of a billet by HMF is composed of columnar structure regions and central fine grain regions. By contrast, the billet by PMF has a uniform microstructure which is characterized by ultra-refined and uniform grains because PMF drives a strong dual convection, which increases the uniformity of the temperature field, enhances the impact of the liquid flow on the edge of the liquid pool and reduces the curvature radius of liquid pool. Eventually, PMF shows a good prospect for industrialization.

     

磁场预退火处理对CGO钢组织与织构的影响

对含3.12%Si的CGO取向硅钢进行不同的脉冲磁场预退火处理,并通过光学显微镜和XRD技术分析取向硅钢的组织及织构的变化。结果表明:在施加脉冲磁场对取向硅钢进行预退火处理后,试样的平均晶粒尺寸都得到了不同程度的细化,组织分布均匀;通过对ODF图与取向线的分析可知,脉冲磁场对有利织构{111}<112>的促进作用明显,尤其在退火温度为760~800 ℃时,施加脉冲磁场的磁场强度为20 mT,加磁时间为1 min时的效果最好。     

自孕育法制备AZ61镁合金的微观组织

采用AZ91D镁合金母液与纯Mg熔体混合的自孕育法制备AZ61镁合金半固态坯料,研究了液-液熔体混合和导流.器角度改变对AZ61镁合金组织的影响.试验结果表明:液-液混合熔体经导流器浇注到铸型中后,可以使AZ61镁合金组织明显细化.相比未混合制备的AZ61,熔体混合有利于能量起伏、结构起伏、浓度起伏,增加有效形核,使晶粒细化;经倾斜导流器激冷、冲刷进一步细化晶粒,同时熔体流经导流器产生的二次混合又促进了有效形核,使平均晶粒尺寸大幅减小(约50％).随导流器角度增加,组织有粗化的趋势,但影响不大.     

强脉冲磁场对Al-Cu共晶合金定向凝固组织的影响

用自行研制的脉冲磁场发生装置，研究了在强脉冲磁场作用下Al-Cu共晶合金的定向凝固组织，分析了脉冲磁场强度对合金定向凝固组织的影响。结果表明：脉冲磁场对Al-Cu合金凝固组织有着显著的细化作用：脉冲磁场强度对细化效果起着关键性的作用；同时指出了实验中的新现象和新问题。     

低占空比下脉冲电流频率对Ti-6Al-4V焊缝组织性能的影响

采用超高频脉冲GTAW(ultra high frequency pulse gas tungsten arc welding,UHFP-GTAW)工艺在占空比20%的条件下完成了Ti-6Al-4V钛合金组织性能试验,以平均晶粒尺寸表征晶粒细化程度,研究了20%占空比条件下,脉冲频率对晶粒细化、组织特征及接头拉伸性能的影响规律.结果表明,与常规GTAW(conventional gas tungsten arc welding,C-GTAW)相比,UHFP-GTAW焊缝区以网篮状组织为主,热影响区α'相以短针状为主呈现;焊缝区平均晶粒尺寸最大减小了32%,晶粒显著细化;断后伸长率和断面收缩率最大分别提高了140%和275%,接头塑性明显改善.与50%占空比下平均晶粒尺寸减小率16.7%相比,晶粒得到进一步细化,同时平均断后伸长率及断面收缩率分别提高了22%,33%.     

Influence of temperature conditions on grain refinement of pure Cu solidified with low-voltage pulsed magnetic field

The influence of temperature conditions on the grain refinement of pure Cu solidified with low-voltage pulsed magnetic field (LVPMF) was investigated. With the pouring temperature (T_p) and mould temperature (T_m) increasing, the solidified microstructure of pure Cu was gradually changed from fine equiaxed grains to coarse columnar grains and then to the mixed structure of coarse equiaxed grains and columnar grains. Little change was observed from the microstructure of pure Cu solidified with and without LVPMF for the low T_p and T_m. But for the high T_p and T_m, applying LVPFM remarkably reduced the coarse columnar grains and obtained fine equiaxed grains. The grain refinement by LVPFM is considered to be caused by the electromagnetic flow. The smaller cooling rate resulted by higher T_p and T_m offers much acting time for LVPMF and thus better grain refinement can be achieved.     

Improving the Solidified Structure by Optimization of Coil Configuration in Pulsed Magneto-Oscillation

Using both numerical and experimental methods, we studied the effect of coil configuration of pulsed magneto-oscillation (PMO) on distribution of electromagnetic field, flow field and solidification structure with the same pulse current parameters in Al ingots. We designed and constructed three types of coils: surface pulsed magneto-oscillation, hot-top pulsed magneto-oscillation (HPMO) and combined pulsed magneto-oscillation (CPMO). PMO treatment refined the solidification structure in all the ingots. The configuration of the PMO, however, introduced differences in magnetic field intensity, electromagnetic force, Joule heat, flow field, equiaxed grain zone, grain size and growth direction of columnar grains. The largest equiaxed grain zone was found in CPMO treated ingot, and the smallest grain size was found in both HPMO and CPMO treated ingots. Numerical simulation indicated that difference in electromagnetic field and flow field resulted in differences in solidification structure. HPMO is more advantageous over others for large ingot production.