Magnesium alloys thanks to their high specific strength have an extensive potential of the use in a number of industrial applications. The most important of them is the automobile industry in particular. Here it is possible to use this group of materials for great numbers of parts from elements in the car interior (steering wheels, seats, etc.), through exterior parts (wheels particularly of sporting models), up to driving (engine blocks) and gearbox mechanisms themselves. But the use of these alloys in the engine structure has its limitations as these parts are highly thermally stressed. But the commonly used magnesium alloys show rather fast decrease of strength properties with growing temperature of stressing them. This work is aimed at studying this properties both of alloys commonly used (of the Mg-Al-Zn, Mn type), and of that ones used in industrial manufacture in a limited extent (Mg-Al-Sr). These thermomechanical properties are further on complemented with the microstructure analysis with the aim of checking the metallurgical interventions (an effect of inoculation). From the studied materials the test castings were made from which the test bars for the tensile test were subsequently prepared. This test took place within the temperature range of 20°C – 300°C. Achieved results are summarized in the concluding part of the contribution.
In spite of the fact that in most applications, magnesium alloys are intended for operation in environments with room temperature, these
alloys are subject to elevated temperature and oxidizing atmosphere in various stages of preparation (casting, welding, thermal treatment).
At present, the studies focus on development of alloys with magnesium matrix, intended for plastic forming. The paper presents results of
studies on oxidation rate of WE43 and ZRE1 magnesium foundry alloys in dry and humidified atmosphere of N2+1%O2. Measurements of
the oxidation rate were carried out using a Setaram thermobalance in the temperature range of 350-480°C. Corrosion products were
analyzed by SEM-SEI, BSE and EDS. It was found that the oxide layer on the WE43 alloy has a very good resistance to oxidation. The
high protective properties of the layer should be attributed to the presence of yttrium in this alloy. On the other hand, a porous, two-layer
scale with a low adhesion to the substrate forms on the ZRE1 alloy. The increase in the sample mass in dry gas is lower than that in
humidified gas.
The paper presents low-cycle fatigue (LCF) characteristics of selected magnesium alloys used, among others, in the automotive and aviation industries. The material for the research were bars of magnesium alloys AZ31 and WE43 after hot plastic working. Due to their application(s), these alloys should have good/suitable fatigue properties, first of all fatigue durability in a small number of cycles.
Low-cycle fatigue tests were carried out on the MTS-810 machine at room temperature. Low-cycle fatigue trials were conducted for three total strain ranges Δεt of 0.8%, 1.0% and 1.2% with the cycle asymmetry factor R = –1. Based on the results obtained, fatigue life characteristics of materials, cyclic deformation characteristics σa = f(N) and cyclic deformation characteristics of the tested alloys were developed. The tests have shown different behaviors of the tested alloys in the range of low number of cycles. The AZ31 magnesium alloy was characterized by greater fatigue life Nf compared to the WE43 alloy.
Magnesium alloys are one of the lightest of all the structural materials. Because of their excellent physical and mechanical properties the
alloys have been used more and more often in various branches of industry. They are cast mainly (over 90%) on cold and hot chamber die
casting machines. One of the byproducts of casting processes is process scrap which amounts to about 40 to 60% of the total weight of a
casting. The process scrap incorporates all the elements of gating systems and fault castings. Proper management of the process scrap is
one of the necessities in term of economic and environmental aspects.
Most foundries use the process scrap, which involves adding it to a melting furnace, in a haphazard way, without any control of its content
in the melt. It can lead to many disadvantageous effects, e.g. the formation of a hard buildup at the bottom of the crucible, which in time
makes casting impossible due to the loss of the alloy rheological properties. The research was undertaken to determine the effect of an
addition of the process scrap on the mechanical properties of AZ91 and AM50 alloys. It has been ascertained that the addition of a specific
amount of process scrap to the melt increases the mechanical properties of the elements cast from AZ91 and AM50 alloys.
The increase in the mechanical properties is caused mainly by compounds which can work as nuclei of crystallization and are introduced
into the scrap from lubricants and anti-adhesive agents. Furthermore carbon, which was detected in the process scrap by means of SEM
examination, is a potent grain modifier in Mg alloys [1-3].
The optimal addition of the process scrap to the melt was determined based on the statistical analysis of the results of studies of the effect
of different process scrap additions on the mean grain size and mechanical properties of the cast parts.
Experimental Mg-Al-RE type magnesium alloys for high-pressure die-casting are presented. Alloys based on the commercial AM50
magnesium alloy with 1, 3 and 5 mass % of rare earth elements were fabricated in a foundry and cast in cold chamber die-casting
machines. The obtained experimental casts have good quality surfaces and microstructure consisting of an α(Mg)-phase, Al11RE3,
Al10RE2Mn7 intermetallic compound and small amount of α+γ eutectic and Al2RE phases.
This work presents the results of the research of the effect of the inoculant Emgesal Flux 5 on the microstructure of the magnesium alloy AZ91. The concentration of the inoculant was increased in samples in the range from 0.1% to 0.6%. The thermal processes were examined with the use of Derivative and Thermal Analysis (DTA). During the examination, the DTA samplers were preheated up to 180 °C. A particular attention was paid to finding the optimum amount of inoculant, which would cause fragmentation of the microstructure. The concentration of each element was verified by means of a spark spectrometer. In addition, the microstructures of the samples were examined with the use of an optical microscope, and an image analysis with a statistical analysis using the NIS–Elements program were carried out. Those analyses aimed at examining the differences between the grain diameters of phase αMg and eutectic αMg+γ(Mg17Al12) in the prepared samples as well as the average size of each type of grain by way of measuring their perimeters. This paper is an introduction to a further research of grain refinement in magnesium alloys, especially AZ91. Another purpose of this research is to achieve better microstructure fragmentation of magnesium alloys without the related changes of the chemical composition, which should improve the mechanical properties.
To the main advantages of magnesium alloys belongs their low density, and just because of such property the alloys are used in aviation and rocket structures, and in all other applications, where mass of products have significant importance for conditions of their operation. To additional advantages of the magnesium alloys belongs good corrosion resistance, par with or even surpassing aluminum alloys. Magnesium is the lightest of all the engineering metals, having a density of 1.74 g/cm3 . It is 35% lighter than aluminum (2.7 g/cm3 ) and over four times lighter than steel (7.86 g/cm3 ). The Mg-Li alloys belong to a light-weight metallic structural materials having mass density of 1.35-1.65 g/cm3 , what means they are two times lighter than aluminum alloys. Such value of mass density means that density of these alloys is comparable with density of plastics used as structural materials, and therefore Mg–Li alloys belong to the lightest of all metal alloys. In the present paper are discussed melting and crystallization processes of ultra-light weight MgLi12,5 alloys recorded with use of ATND methods. Investigated magnesium alloy was produced in Krakow Foundry Research Institute on experimental stand to melting and casting of ultra-light weight alloys. Obtained test results in form of recorded curves from ATND methods have enabled determination of characteristic temperatures of phase transitions of the investigated alloy.
The amorphous Mg-based alloys may be used as metallic biomaterials for resorbable orthopedic implants. The Mg-Zn-Ca metallic glasses demonstrate variable in time degradation rate in simulated body fluid. In this work the Mg66Zn30Ca4 alloy was chosen as a substrate for coatings. This paper reports on the surface modification of a Mg66Zn30Ca4 metallic glass by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO). The structure characterization of uncoated Mg66Zn30Ca4 alloy was performed by using TEMand XRD method. The immersion tests of coated and uncoated Mg66Zn30Ca4 alloy were carried out in Ringer’s solutionat 37°C. The volume of released hydrogen by immersion tests was determined. The coatings structure and chemical composition after immersion tests by SEM/EDS were studied. Based on SEM images of surface structure samples, immersion tests results and hydrogen evolution measurement was proposed the course of corrosion process in Ringer’s solution for Mg-based metallic glasses with PEO coating. Results of immersion tests in Ringer’s solution allowed to determine the amount of evolved hydrogen in a function of time for Mg66Zn30Ca4 metallic glass and sample with PEO coating. In comparison to the non-coated Mg66Zn30Ca4 alloy, the sample with PEO layer showed a significantly decreased hydrogen evolution volume.
The article presents tests results of the influence of deformation methods on the microstructure and properties of alloy WE43. There were direct extrusion tests and extrusion with KoBo method performed. An assessment of the influence of the methods of deformation on the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the achieved rods from alloy WE43 was conducted. There was an analysis of microstructure carried out with the use of light and scanning microscopy techniques in the initial state and after plastic deformation. Static tensile test was conducted in temperature of 350°C at a speed of 0.0001 m·s–1 and microhardness measurements were performed of HV0.2. On the basis of the achieved mechanical tests results it was stated that in the temperature of 350°C for samples deformed with the use of KoBo method there was an effect of superplastic flow found. The value of elongation achieved was 250% which was 3 times higher than in case of classic extrusion (80%).
The thermochemical treatment applied to improve the surface properties of AZ91 consisted in heating the material in contact with AlSi10Mg powder at 445 oC for 30 min. During heat treatment process the powder was held under pressure to facilitate the diffusion of the alloying elements to the substrate and, accordingly, the formation of a modified layer. Two pressures, 1 MPa and 5 MPa, were tested. The resultant layers, containing hard Mg2Si and Mg17Al12 phases, were examined using an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS). The experimental data show that the layer microstructure was dependent on the pressure applied. A thicker, three-zone layer (about 200 μm) was obtained at 1 MPa. At the top, there were Mg2Si phase particles distributed over the Mg17Al12 intermetallic phase matrix. The next zone was a eutectic (Mg17Al12 and a solid solution of Al in Mg) with Mg2Si phase particles embedded in it. Finally, the area closest to the AZ91 substrate was a eutectic not including the Mg2Si phase particles. By contrast, the layer produced at a pressure of 5 MPa had lower thickness of approx. 150 μm and a two-zone structure. Mg2Si phase particles were present in both zones. In the upper zone, Mg2Si phase particles were regularly distributed over the Mg17Al12 intermetallic phase matrix. The lower zone, adjacent to the AZ91, was characterized by a higher volume fraction of Mg2Si phase particles distributed over the matrix composed mainly of Mg17Al12. The alloyed layers enriched with Al and Si had much higher hardness than the AZ91 substrate.
In this paper is discussed the effect of the inoculant mischmetal addition on the microstructure of the magnesium alloy AZ91. The concentration of the inoculant was increased in the samples within the range from 0.1% up to 0.6%. The thermal process was performed with the use of Derivative and Thermal Analysis (DTA). A particular attention was paid to finding the optimal amount of the inoculant, which causes fragmentation of the microstructure. The concentration of each element was verified with use of a spark spectrometer. In addition, the microstructures of every samples were examined with the use of an optical microscope and also was performed an image analysis with a statistical analysis using the NIS–Elements program. The point of those analyses was to examine the differences in the grain diameters of phase αMg and eutectic αMg+γ(Mg17Al12) in the prepared samples as well as the average size of each type of grain by way of measuring their perimeters. This paper is the second part of the introduction into a bigger research on grain refinement of magnesium alloys, especially AZ91. Another purpose of this research is to achieve better microstructure fragmentation of magnesium alloys without the relevant changes of the chemical composition, which should improve the mechanical properties.
The paper presents the results of tests concerning the effect of the extrusion process in the complex strain state on the microstructure and properties of one of magnesium alloy with aluminium, zinc and manganese, designated AZ61. Due to its specific gravity, it is increasingly being used in the automotive and aerospace industries to reduce the weight of structural elements. As a result of plastic deformation processes, rods with a diameter of 8, 6 and 4 mm were obtained from AZ61 magnesium alloy. The microstructure analysis was performed using light and electron microscopy (STEM) techniques in the initial state and after plastic deformation. Microstructure studies were supplemented with a quantitative analysis using the Metilo program. A number of stereological parameters were determined: average diameter of grain, shape factor. A static tensile test was carried out at 250ºC and 300ºC, at deformation rates of 0.01, 0.001 and 0.0001 m·s–1. Better plastic properties after deformation using KoBo method were obtained than with conventional extrusion.
Ultrasonic assisted active-passive filling friction stir repairing (A-PFFSR) was proposed to repair volume defects in the metallic parts. Sound joints without interfacial defects could be achieved. Firstly, the ultrasonic was beneficial to improving material flow and atom diffusion, and then eliminated kissing bond defects compared to conventional A-PFFSR joints. Secondly, the equiaxed grains were refined by ultrasonic vibration. Lastly, the repairing passes were reduced due to the ultrasonic, which decreased softening degree of the repaired joints. The maximum tensile strength of 150 MPa was achieved. Therefore, this strategy to repair the volume defects is feasibility and potential in the remanufacturing fields of aerospace and transportation.
The paper presents the susceptibility of AE44 magnesium alloy to electrochemical corrosion and stress corrosion cracking (SCC). The evaluation of the intensity of the interaction of the corrosive environment was carried out using the corrosion tests and the Slow Strain Rate Test (SSRT). Corrosion tests performed in 0.1 M Na2SO4 solution (immersion in solution and under cathodic polarization conditions) revealed that the layer of corrosion products was much thicker after immersion test. The results of SSRT showed that the AE44 alloy deformed in the solution was characterized by higher plasticity compared to the alloy deformed in the air after immersion in solution. Moreover, the fractures were characterized by different morphology. In the case of an alloy deformed in the solution under cathodic polarization many microcracks on the fracture were observed, which were not observed in the case of the alloy deformed in the air.