Papers by Author: Li Hong Han

Abstract: Dissolution of secondary phases during thermal treatment in cast magnesium alloys influences their engineering properties. In this study, a kinetic model based on a Kissinger-type method has been developed for describing dissolution of secondary phases in the high pressure die cast magnesium alloy AM50 during a thermally activated heating process. Also, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was effectively used for investigating the dissolution kinetics of secondary phases in the AM50 alloy. By fitting a kinetic model to the DSC results, the activation energy of the dissolution of the secondary phases can be determined. In parallel, the microstructure of the alloy was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). It was found that the distribution of secondary phases and the concentration of alloying elements both at the grain boundaries and in the grains play an important role in the solid-state transformation kinetics of die cast magnesium alloy AM50.

Abstract: In this study, a two-dimensional (2-D) mathematical model was developed to simulate forced and natural convection, heat transfer and solidification occurring during the squeeze casting process. The model was based on the control-volume finite difference approach and on the enthalpy method. The computation was performed to understand the effect of applied pressures on the solidification and cooling behavior of a cylindrical squeeze casting of magnesium alloy AM50A which could have extensive usage in automobiles. The model computed the melt flow fields, the temperature distributions, the cooling curves, the shape and position of the phase front, and total solidification time of the casting. The predicted results show that high applied pressures result in high heat transfer across the casting/die interface, and consequently increase solidification and cooling rates.

Abstract: Mg-Al-Ca alloys with 1wt.% and 2 wt.% Ca additions (AC51 and AC52) were cast by the Permanent Mold technique. The microstructures of the as-cast Mg-Al-Ca alloys were observed by SEM with EDS analysis. The secondary phases were mainly precipitated along the grain boundaries and exhibited a continuous network microstructure for the AC52 alloy and a divorced microstructure for the AC51 alloy. EDS microanalysis showed that the solute (Ca) content in the grains of the AC52 alloy is higher than that in the AC51. A three-sided pyramidal (Berkovich) diamond indenter was used to characterize the local nano-creep behavior at room temperature within the α-Mg in grains. The nano-creep results showed that the AC52 alloy has better creep resistance than the AC51 alloy at all loads at room temperature. The creep exponent n, obtained from the indentation creep data, changes from 6.3 to 3.0 for AC51 alloy and from 6.6 to 3.2 for AC52 alloy at a critical stress (132 MPa for the AC51 and 145 MPa for the AC52). The transition in creep behavior at higher stresses is associated with a change in the deformation mechanisms.