For thixoforming to be possible,the microstructure of the starting material must be non-dendritic,which can be obtained by the strain induced melt activation(SIMA)route.Based on the SIMA route,as-cast AZ91D alloy with the addition of yttrium was deformed by cyclic closed-die forging(CCDF).Microstructure evolution of CCDF formed AZ91D-RE alloy during partial remelting were investigated.Furthermore,the mechanical properties of thixoformed AZ91D-RE magnesium alloy components were also studied.The results showed that prolonged holding time resulted in grain coarsening and the improvement in degree of spheroidization.The coarsening behaviour of solid grains in the semi-solid state obeyed Ostwald ripening mechanism.The coarsening rate constant of CCDF formed AZ91D-RE during partial remelting was 324 um3/s at 550℃.The value of yield strength,ultimate tensile strength and elongation to fracture of four-pass CCDF formed AZ91D-RE magnesium alloy were 214.9,290.5 MPa and 14%,respectively.Then the four-pass CCDF formed alloys were used for thixoforming.After holding at 550℃ for 5 min,the values of yield strength,ultimate tensile strength and elongation to fracture of thixoformed component were 189.6 MPa,274.6 MPa and 12%,respectively.However,prolonged holding time led to remarkable decrease in mechanical properties of thixoformed components.
In order to improve the plasticity of 4004 Al alloy and subsequently the productivity of 4004 Al foil, the research studied in detail the influence of the rotary impeller degassing process on the refining effect of 4004 Al alloy, in which the impacts of four major parameters: gas flow, rotational speed, refining time, and stewing time, on degassing rate of 4004 Al alloy was systematically studied by using an orthogonal experiment methodology. Results show that the rotational speed has the greatest impact on the degassing of 4004 Al alloy, followed by gas flow and refining time; stewing time has the least impact. The optimum purification parameters obtained by current orthogonal analysis were: rotor speed of 500 r·min-1, inert gas flow of 0.4 mL·h-1, refining time of 15 min, and stewing time of 6 min. Degassing rate using the optimum parameters reaches 68%. In addition, the comparison experiments among C2Cl6 refining, rotary impeller degassing, and combined treatment of C2Cl6 refining and rotary impeller degassing for 4004 Al alloy were performed. The experimental data indicated that the combined treatment of C2Cl6 refining and rotary impeller degassing has the best degassing effect. Degassing rate of C2Cl6 refining, rotary impeller degassing and combined refining treatment is 39%, 69.1% and 76.9%, respectively. The mechanical properties of the specimen refined by rotary impeller degassing were higher than those by C2Cl6 refining, but lower than those by combined refining treatment.
Wang LipingCao GuojianGuo ErjunWang GuojunLü Xinyu
