Materials Science Forum Vols. 539-543

Abstract: The effects of tin (Sn) and strontium (Sr) additions on the microstructure and creep properties of Mg-5Al-2Si (AS52) alloys were investigated. Results showed that the addition of Sn did not affect the morphology of secondary phase Mg2Si particles but induced the fine and uniform precipitation of thermally stable Mg2Sn at the grain boundary in the AS52 alloys. However, the morphology modification of the secondary phase Mg2Si particles from Chinese script shape to refined polygonal shape was greatly affected by the addition of Sr. Tensile strength and creep resistance were improved and tensile elongation was also increased in the modified alloy with addition of both Sr and Sn. Sn is the effective element for precipitating thermally stable Mg2Sn finely and uniformly at the grain boundary and Sr is the effective element for refining microstructure. Therefore both Sn and Sr are effective for modifying the microstructure and improving the creep properties of AS52 alloys.

Abstract: The effect of Al content on the microstructural characteristics, tensile and creep properties of Mg-xAl-Zn alloy was investigated. The molten Mg-(3~11)Al-Zn alloys of 700°C were poured into the permanent mould designed to prepare the specimens used in this study. Tensile and creep tests were carried out for each Mg-Al based alloys. Results show that creep resistance decreased while tensile strength improved with increasing Al contents. Microstructural study revealed that morphology and distribution of non equilibrium Mg17Al12 phase is main factor determining the tensile and creep properties of as cast Mg-xAl-Zn alloys. The final purpose of this study is to construct the database of already used Mg-Al based alloy and to develop the heat resistant magnesium alloys to apply transportation systems such as automobile.

Abstract: In this study, melting and casting of Mg-Ni alloys in ambient atmosphere for mass production, nickel content adjustment for enhancing hydrogen capacity and reducing alloy weight, and cyclic hydriding/dehydriding test for evaluation of degradation properties were investigated. Mg-Ni alloys were fabricated by Rotation-Cylinder Method (RCM) in ambient atmosphere. Hydriding/dehydriding reactions were repeated 350 times at 350°C to evaluate degradation property. SEM-EDS analysis revealed that the lamellar eutectic structure of Mg-Ni alloy consists of Mg-rich α-phase and β-Mg2Ni. It is supposed that the lamellar eutectic structure enhances hydrogenation properties of Mg-Ni alloys.

Abstract: Warm compression tests of AZ31 Mg alloy were carried out at five temperatures in 30°C intervals from 210°C to 330°C. The samples of different thickness which were machined from as-cast and pre-strained AZ31 billets were compressed into thickness 1mm and then cooled in the air to room temperature. The microstructural evolution of AZ31 Mg alloy was investigated during warm compression forming. The results show that all the samples have undergone a microstructure changes to different scales in the range investigated. The twinning is the predominant deformation mechanism for magnesium alloys at moderate temperatures and its occurrence is dependent on temperature and strain. Microstructural evaluation indicates that the mean size of the recrystallised grains decreases with increasing effective strain and temperature because of sufficient dynamic recrystallization. The original grain has significant influence on microstructural evolution during warm forming.

Abstract: Samples of AZ31 wrought magnesium alloy are hot extruded into forward direction with various initial billet temperatures and extrusion ratios (ERs). Usually the insufficient room temperature formability of magnesium wrought alloys makes processing steps like rolling, extrusion etc. difficult, thus limiting their use for rolled or wrought parts. However, in this paper experiment is preformed under the hot forward extrusion process for AZ31 wrought magnesium alloy with different important parameters. Major process parameters such as punch speed, billet temperatures and ERs are considered and applied to the hot extrusion process with a constant value of the die land. The influence of different billet temperatures and ERs on the hot forward extrusion process is investigated and analyzed in terms of the grain flow, microstructure, grain size and hardness distribution of formed part for magnesium and Mg alloy. Maximum forming loads for various main parameters is tackled and checked to know the optimum forming load for hot forward extrusion process. Also finest grain sizes and an inhomogeneous microstructure of extruded parts seem to occur near the die land of tool-set due to the anisotropic plastic behavior during the hot extrusion process. Extrusion properties such as extrusion load, grain size, micro hardness and surface quality are compared between the main parameters during the hot forward extrusion process. In addition it is easily disclosed from the experiment results that the die land designed for safe tool-set plays a key role in improving the mechanical properties of formed product during hot forward extrusion process for AZ31 magnesium alloy.

Abstract: Integral foam molding (IFM) is an economical near net-shape technology to produce monolithic castings with solid skin, foamed core and continuous density transition between skin and core. It was developed for polymers in the 1960s. But it took about ten years to optimize the molding technique and the quality of the polymer integral foam parts to a marketable stage. Meanwhile, polymer integral foam parts are established in a lot of commercial applications. The situation is completely different for metals. The first attempts to produce metal integral foam parts were made only a few years ago. A cost effective injection molding technique for magnesium integral foam was developed at the WTM-Institute in Erlangen, Germany. The low-cost production in combination with the integral foam properties low density, high weight specific bending stiffness and remarkable damping capacity is very promising. At the beginning we produced only parts with simple shape, for example plates. But if we think about commercial applications, more complex parts with a three-dimensional shape are required. The focus of this paper is on new developments concerning the production of magnesium integral foam parts with complex shape like a casing cover or a door handle.

Abstract: In the present study, nickel foams with an open cell microporous structure were fabricated by the so-called space-holding particle sintering method, which included the adding of a particulate polymeric material (PMMA). The average pore size of the nickel foams approximated 10.5 μm; and the porosity ranged from 70 % to 80 %. The porous characteristics of the nickel foams were observed using scanning electron microscopy and the mechanical properties were evaluated using compressive tests. For comparison, nickel foams with an open-cell macroporous structure (pore size approximately 1.3 mm) were also presented. Results indicated that the nickel foams with a microporous structure possess enhanced mechanical properties than those with a macroporous structure.

Abstract: Lightweight metallic foams are an attractive material having excellent energy absorption and acoustic damping. The density of magnesium is the smallest among structural metallic materials, and is about two third of the density of aluminum. It is, however, difficult to produce magnesium foams by conventional process because of their chemical activity. This paper provides a novel manufacturing process of magnesium foams. Accumulative diffusion-bonding process can produce a magnesium matrix composite (preform) containing titanium hydride (TiH2) particles as a blowing agent. Foaming tests of three magnesium alloys, AZ31, AZ91 and ZA146, revealed that low solidus temperature is effective to produce fine cell morphology. Chemical composition is significantly important to optimize the cell morphology of magnesium foams.