Papers by Author: Alan A. Luo

Abstract: This paper summarizes the development of new cast and wrought magnesium alloys using computational thermodynamics tools and experimental approach. The Mg-Al-Ca alloys show excellent creep resistance due to the formation of high-temperature (Mg,Al)₂Ca phase. The Mg-Al-Sn alloys are designed for mechanical properties and corrosion resistance through the optimization of Mg₁₇Al₁₂ and Mg₂Sn phases in the microstructure. In the Mg-Zn-Ce system, Zn provides strength through solid solution strengthening while Ce increases the ductility via improved texture. Mg-Nd-Zn is a heat-treatable alloy system based on the precipitation hardening of Mg₁₂Nd phase.

Abstract: Magnesium automotive components are currently produced by high pressure die casting. These castings cannot be heat-treated to improve the strength and ductility mainly due to the casting imperfections such as porosity and inclusions created by the air entrainment during the turbulent mold filing. These imperfections also prevent magnesium components to be used for highly stressed body components. Efforts were made to produce high integrity magnesium castings through a Super-Vacuum Die Casting process. The AZ91D castings were found to have very low porosity and can be heat-treated without blisters. The tensile properties of the castings were satisfactory. The mechanical properties and thermal analysis indicate that the conventional heat treatment procedure needs to be optimized for such thin sectioned and rapidly solidified castings which have very fine microstructures.

Abstract: Uniaxial hot compression tests were performed at constant temperature (T) and strain rate (ε& ) in the ranges of 200-500 °C at an interval of 50 °C and 0.001-20 s-1. The flow stress data were used to develop the extrusion limit diagram for AZ31 and AM30 magnesium tubes. The extrusion limit diagram shows a wide region available for extruding AZ31 and AM30 seamless tubes, and comparison of the two extrusion limit diagrams shows that, the extrudability of AM30 alloy is better than that of AZ31 alloy. Actual extrusion trials validated the predicted temperature rise limit curve corresponding to the occurrence of surface cracking during the extrusion process. Magnesium tubes were successfully extruded according to the safe regions identified by the extrusion limit diagram.

Abstract: An appropriate temperature (150-200°C) bending process has been developed for AZ31 and AM30 magnesium alloy tubes, and the optimum bending process parameters were obtained using a Design of Experiments (DOE) method. The development of this process was one of the key factors for use of magnesium tubes in automotive components for vehicle weight reduction. The tensile properties and deformation microstructure of magnesium alloys at elevated temperatures indicated that temperature of 150-200°C which might be suitable for hydroforming and other forming processes.

Abstract: Particle-stimulated nucleation (PSN) was investigated in magnesium alloy AZ31 to study the effect of the evolution of second-phases during extrusion and other metal forming processes. Compression tests were carried out on samples taken from coarse-grained as-cast magnesium alloy billets containing a lamellar Mg17All2 eutectic phase and (Al, Mn) particles. These revealed that particle-stimulated DRX nucleation (PSN) was taking place during hot deformation and that this is facilitated by the fragmentation of the Mg17All2. When Mg17All2 dissolves into the matrix at about 350°C, the (Al, Mn) particles remain effective in producing PSN at temperatures up to at least 400°C. This suggests that alloy design leading to a suitable distribution of second-phase particles can improve the properties and formability of wrought magnesium alloys.

Abstract: Recent experiments and first-principles calculations in the literature revealed the existence of a C36 laves phase in the Al2Ca-Mg2Ca pseudo-binary system in addition to the C14-Mg2Ca and C15-Al2Ca laves phases. In the present work, special quasirandom structures (SQS) for all three laves phases were constructed. The structures possess local pair and multisite correlation functions that mimic those of the corresponding random structures. First-principles calculations were carried out based on the SQS developed to predict the enthalpy of formation in the Al2Ca-Mg2Ca pseudo-binary system. It was observed that the enthalpy of formation of C36 is very close to that of C14 at the Mg2Ca end and decreases with the addition of small amount of Al, while the enthalpy of formation of C14 increases with the addition of Al. It is thus energetically plausible that C36 is stable in the Al2C- Mg2Ca pseudo-binary system.