Papers by Keyword: Zn Addition

Abstract: First-principles calculations were conducted to investigate the effects of Zn on the structure of β″ phase. The effects of Cu, which was often added in the alloy, were also taken into consideration. Firstly, single Zn or Cu atom was doped on different sites of the β″ phase. Then the formation enthalpies and lattice constants of doped β″ phases were calculated. The results showed that it was more energetically favorable for single Zn or Cu atom to occupy Si3/Al sites than other sites. Furthermore, different quantities of Zn or Cu atoms were doped on Si3/Al sites. With the amounts of doping atoms increasing, the formation enthalpies of β″ phases doped by Zn were lower than which doped by Cu, indicating that it was more preferential for Zn to enter the β″ phase when Zn content was higher than Cu. Additionally, the doping of Zn could reduce the formation enthalpies of the β″ phase, which promoted the formation of the β″ phases. As a result, the aging hardening response of the alloy was improved. High angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) characterization was also conducted on a peak-aging Zn added Al-Mg-Si-Cu alloy. The HAADF-STEM image of β″ phase showed that the occupancies of Zn atoms were just on the Si3/Al sites and substituted all the Al atoms, which was consistent with the results of first-principles calculations.

Abstract: In the past, Mg-Zn alloys prepared by a two-step manufacturing process of casting plus extrusion have been demonstrated to be a good candidate for biodegradable applications. But, studies on fabricating of Mg-Zn alloys with a single step process of squeeze casting capable of producing porosity-free Mg alloys, which can reduce the cost, are limited. In the present work, Zinc (Zn) addition varying from 1.0 up to 10.0 wt. % was introduced into liquid magnesium. The alloyed liquid was squeeze cast under an applied pressure of 90 MPa. The results of mechanical testing on the squeeze cast Mg-Zn alloys shows that Zn is an effective additive for enhancing their mechanical properties, specifically, tensile and yield strengths at room temperature, but reducing the elongation. While the Zn addition rises from 1.0 to 10.0 wt.%, the ultimate tensile and yield strengths increases to 181.0 MPa and 105.0 MPa from 140.7 MPa and 39.3 MPa, while the elongation-to-failure (e_f) decreases to 3.7% from 6.2%, respectively. The reveal of the as-cast grain structure by an optical microscope (OM) indicates that the high Zn content reduces grain sizes considerably. The microstructures analyzed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) with the energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) show that the secondary MgZn phase forms once Zn is introduced in sufficient amount. The grain refinement and the massive presence of the secondary MgZn phase at the boundaries of the refined grains should be responsible to the enhancement of the strengths and the reduction in the elongation. The developed pressurized casting without employing secondary manufacturing processes such as extrusion or heat treatment exhibits its advantages to enhance the mechanical properties of the Mg alloys with high Zn content over conventional fabrication processes, since high Zn-containing Mg alloys have a long freezing range and tend to form microshrinkage porosity.

Abstract: A Zn-added Al-Mg-Si-Cu alloy during aging at 170 °C up to 34 h exhibits an interesting age-hardening effect. Small clusters, enriched in Mg and Si, are present in the sample after 0.25 h aging. The β′′ phase is dominant with the peak hardness of 135 HV after aging of 8 h. A decrease in hardness of the alloy occurs with the aging time increasing to 34 h, due to the coarsening of β′′ phase. It is also found that the Cu-containing L phase co-exists with the β′′ phase at this aging condition. The quantitative solute concentrations of the matrix show that the formation of clusters is consistent with the slight lower contents of Mg, Si and Cu compared with the alloy chemical composition, and the present of β′′ and L phase is associated with the further partitioning of Mg, Si and Cu from the Al matrix into the precipitates. No Zn-rich clusters and precipitates are observed and the Zn concentration in matrix has no significant change during aging for up to 34 h. This result means that the major of Zn remains in the matrix as aging continues.

Abstract: The microstructure of magnesium alloys containing 1% and 2.5% Mg, as well as the addition of 6% Zn and 0.6% Zr was examined in as-cast and as-extruded condition. After the casting process, the presence of Mg₂Ca and Ca₂Mg₆Zn₃ phases was determined by means of the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The microstructure of MgCa0.8Zn6.1Zr0.6 and MgCa2.8Zn6.1Zr0.6 alloys after the extrusion process revealed an impact of Zr addition on grain refinement. The electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis showed that, among all the tested alloys, the smallest grain size was found in the MgCa2.8Zn6.1Zr0.6 alloy and the mean grain diameter amounted to about 4 mm. The analysis of texture has indicated that the lattice planes most often parallel to the cross-sections of the examined magnesium rods are the crystal lattice planes (1 0-1 0).

Abstract: The influence of aging (T6 at 150°C and175°C, T8 at 150°C) and 0.72% Zn addition on the mechanical properties, microstructures and intergranular corrosion (IGC) behavior of Al-2.7Cu-1.7Li-0.3Mg alloys was investigated. With 0.72% Zn addition, the strength of the Al-Li alloy was increased. As the aging time was extended, the corrosion type of the studied Al-Li alloys was changed in the following order: pitting, local IGC, general IGC, local IGC and pitting again. For the T6 temper, as the aging temperature was elevated from 150°C to 175°C, the aging time period for IGC appearance was shortened. The pre-deformation before aging (T8 temper) also greatly shorten the aging time period for IGC. Meanwhile, the addition of 0.72% Zn decreased the IGC sensitivity and shortened the aging time period for IGC.

Abstract: Oxidization of diamond in the sintering process of diamond/borosilicate glass composites would result in low compressive fracture strength (CFS) of the grit and uncontrolled expansion with many irregular pores in the composites, causing low bending strength of the tools. In this paper diamond/borosilicate glass composites were prepared by cold pressing and sintering at 850 C for 120 min in air. An active element Zn was incorporated into the composites in order to resolve the above issues. The effects of Zn contents on the properties of the composites was investigated by the bending strength tests, the volume expansion rate tests, differential scanning calorimeter test (DSC), thermogravimetry (TG), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed Zn was oxidized and then converted to ZnAl2O4 and Zn2SiO4 phases during sintering. The bending strength improved and the expansion phenomenon was inhibited for the composites with various Zn additions. The maximum bending strength and minimum volume expansion rate were obtained for the composite GZ8. This Zn content resulted in a decrease of volume expansion rate from 8.57% to -20.53%, and an increase in bending strength from 28.49 MPa to 74.02 MPa compared with the composite GZ0. The CFS results of the diamond grits separated from GZ0 and GZ8 was 21N and 26N, respectively.