Papers by Keyword: AZ91 Magnesium Alloy

Abstract: In aluminate alkaline electrolyte the effect of aluminate on the microstructure and properties and the MAO(micro-arc oxidation) behavior of micro-arc oxide film of AZ91 magnesium alloy was studied. Transmission electron microscope(TEM), energy dispersive spectrum (EDS), X-ray diffraction(XRD), salt spray test and scanning electron microscope(SEM)were used to analyze and characterize the structure and properties of the film. The results show that the concentration of aluminate has an important effect on the tank voltage, corrosion resistance, surface morphology and phase structure of micro-arc oxidation film. The corrosion resistance and film quality of the film were increased first and then decreased, but the surface roughness decreased first and then increased with the increase of aluminate concentration from 5g/L to 30g/L. At our work, the concentration of 10g/L aluminate electrolyte is most favorable to the formation of micro-arc oxide film.

Abstract: Magnesium injection molding technology was used to produce Mg based nanocomposites. AZ91 chips were mixed with 5 wt.% of β-SiC nanoparticles in solid state and fed to pre-heated cylinder of prototype injection molding machine. Using screw rotation, granules were transferred to nozzle area at simultaneous intensive shearing and mixing of slurry containing reinforcement phases. Injection process was conducted at 595 °C, which corresponded to about 90% liquid phase and cast to steel die preheated to 150 °C. Detailed characterization of microstructure was performed using SEM and TEM microscopes. Composite microstructure consisted of α(Mg) globular grains with size of about 60 μm and volume of 7-10% surrounded by mixture of proeutectic magnesium solid solution with irregular shape and average size of 12 μm as well as fine eutectic mixture (α(Mg) + β-Mg₁₇Al₁₂). Additionally, TEM-BF image showed β-SiC nanoparticles with size of 20-50 nm in the area of eutectic. Hardness and compression strength of AZ91 nanocomposites increased from 58 to 75 HV and from 200 to 235 MPa, respectively.

Abstract: The ceria coatings on AZ91 substrates were successfully synthesized by chemical conversion and the corrosion resistance of AZ91 samples with and without ceria coatings were evaluated by means of electrochemical corrosion in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. According to the parameters derived from the polarization date, the I_corr (the corrosion current density) values of the coated samples are smaller than that of bare one, indicating that the corrosion resistance of AZ91 alloys has been improved to some extent. The influence of fluoridated pretreatment, inter-layer heat treatment, sintering temperature and the layer of films on the performance of ceria coatings were also investigated. It was found that the inter-layer heat treatment has no influence on improving the anticorrosion resistance of AZ91 alloy. In comparison with the bare one, the I_corr of optimal sample is about 0.0219mA/cm², which decreases by two orders of magnitude, indicating that the ceria coatings could significantly improve the corrosion resistance of AZ91 magnesium alloy.

Abstract: Mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of Mg alloys basically depend on their chemical composition. Both the mentioned can be influenced by mechanical or heat treatment. In this work was studied the effect of production technology and resulting microstructure on the corrosion resistance of AZ91 alloy. Corrosion resistance of the alloy (AZ91) was analyzed for material after casting and after treatment by ECAP. Result of ECAP treatment is fine grained microstructure of AZ91 alloy and uniform distributed of present intermetallic phases. Corrosion resistance of the experimental material was analyzed in 0.1 molar solution of NaCl through potentiodynamic tests. The ultra-fine grained microstructure after ECAP results in movement of thermodynamic curves to more positive values of corrosion potential (E_corr). From thermodynamic point of view, this means, that AZ91 alloy after ECAP has slightly higher corrosion resistance, as AZ91 alloy after casting; however the improvement of corrosion resistance is only minor due to the high reactivity of the magnesium in the corrosion environment.

Abstract: Friction stir processing (FSP) is a novel severe plastic deformation technique developed in recent years to produce fine-grained structural materials. Through increasing the processing pass, further grain refinement can be achieved. In this paper, the microstructure and mechanical properties of AZ91 magnesium alloy prepared by the single-pass and two-pass FSP were studied. The results showed that the coarse, network-like eutectic β-Mg₁₇Al₁₂ phase was broken into particles and some of them dissolved into the magnesium matrix, and the α-Mg grains were remarkably refined after FSP. The average grain sizes of the single-pass and two-pass FSP alloys were 8.3 μm and 5.8 μm respectively. The ultimate tensile strengths of the specimens were 284.5 MPa and 319.7 MPa, and elongations were 13% and 14.5%, respectively. The improved mechanical properties of the two-pass FSP specimen were mainly attributed to the finer grain size and more homogenized microstructure.

Abstract: The dynamic compression test was carried out for the AZ91 Magnesium alloy of as-cast and aging state with a split Hopkinson pressure bar, and the dynamic behavior has been investigated. Finally the fracture surface of samples at the different strain rates was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results show that compared with the as-cast AZ91, it is more impressible for the solid solution and age-treatment AZ91 at the similar strong strain rates, while the stress-strain curve has the duality of positive and negative effects as the variation of strain rate.

Abstract: The annealing treatment of AZ91 cast magnesium alloy was carried out at 415°C for 24h and the alloy was then slowly cooled to room temperature in furnace. As a results, the coarse divorced eutectic phase distributed along the grain boundary dissolve into Mg matrix during the isothermal process, and the thin lamellar β-Mg₁₇Al₁₂ phase precipitates from the magnesium solid solution with a type of pearlite precipitation during furnace cooling. During the cooling process of annealing treatment, the number of β phases as perlite-type were increased with the furnace cooling time. In the early stage of furnace cooling, the β phase nucleated preferentially in the grain near the boundary, only a small quantity of β phase precipitates.In the subsequent cooling process, the rate of precipitate about β phase increased remarked as the time of furnace cooling prolonging, the number of β phase increases dramatically, and the lamellar β phase evenly distributes inside most of the grain.

Abstract: In this study, Al-12Si alloy coatings with different thickness were prepared through flame spray on the surface of the AZ91 magnesium alloy to improve its corrosion resistance. The corrosion resistance was characterized through corrosion potential using electrochemical methods. The Al-12Si alloy coatings were heat treated at 100 °C, 200 °C and 300 °C for 6, 12, 18 and 24 hours. The effects of heat treatment temperature and time on the coatings’ corrosion resistance were discussed. It was found that there were no phase changes during the deposition of Al-12Si coatings through flame spray and heat treatment. The greater the coating thickness was, the higher the corrosion potential was. After annealing, the inner microstructure of the Al-12Si coating was densified furtherly and the annealed coatings had higher corrosion potential and better corrosion resistance. The coating annealed at 100 °C for 18 hours had the highest corrosion potential and the best corrosion resistance in the same coating thickness.

Abstract: The microstructure and the kinetics of β-Mg₁₇Al₁₂ phase transformation during annealing process for warm-rolled AZ91 magnesium alloy were investigated. The results showed that few twins were found in solid state AZ91 magnesium alloy after warm rolling, which provides energy for β-Mg₁₇Al₁₂ particles to nucleate and growth; the β-Mg₁₇Al₁₂ particles were prior to form at α-Mg, twin grains boundary and especially the place of high energy; by the annealing time extending, the quantity of β-Mg₁₇Al₁₂ particles increased. And combined with the experimental data and the JMAK equation, the fitting equation of Kinetics of β-Mg₁₇Al₁₂ phase transformation was built. During annealing process, the twin grains disappeared and the original bulky organization was replaced by recrystallization grain, while the grain refinement was obvious with the grain reduction to 20-60μm.

Abstract: Normal and submerged friction stir processing (SFSP) were conducted to AZ91 magnesium alloy plates with 6mm in thickness, and influence of processing speed (ν) on microstructures and mechanical properties of the experimental materials was investigated. The results revealed that fine and equiaxed grains were observed in the stirred zone (SZ). As the processing speed increased from 60mm/min to 150mm/min, the average grain size in the SZ of normal FSP material decreased. However, the grain size of the SFSP specimens first increased with the processing rate increasing from 60mm/min to 120mm/min, and then decreased when the processing rate increased to 150mm/min. Microstructure of the SFSP specimen was much finer compared with the normal FSP one, and the grain size of α-Mg was about 1.2µm when the processing speed was 60mm/min during SFSP. Because of much finer microstructure of SFSP, the microhardness, tensile strength and elongation were all improved. SEM fracture observation showed that fine dimples and tearing edges could be observed on SFSP specimen which showing good ductility. In addition, high temperature tensile tests showed that SFSP AZ91 alloys exhibited excellent superplasticity at high strain rate, with an elongation of 1202% at 623 K with a strain rate of 3x10-3s-1. The present study demonstrated that SFSP possesses great potential in preparing fine-grained materials.