Research on Semisolid Microstructural Evolution of 2024 Aluminum Alloy Prepared by Powder Thixoforming
1
State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Nonferrous Metals, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China
2
School of Materials and Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110004, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: E. W. Jarfors
Metals 2015, 5(2), 547-564; https://doi.org/10.3390/met5020547
Received: 1 February 2015 / Revised: 25 March 2015 / Accepted: 27 March 2015 / Published: 3 April 2015
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Casting Alloy Design and Modification)
A novel method, powder thixoforming, for net-shape forming of the particle-reinforced Aluminum matrix composites in semi-solid state has been proposed based on powder metallurgy combining with thixoforming technology. The microstructural evolution and phase transformations have been investigated during partial remelting of the 2024 bulk alloy, prepared by cold pressing of atomized alloy powders to clarify the mechanisms of how the consolidated powders evolve into small and spheroidal primary particles available for thixoforming. The effect of heating temperature on the resulting semisolid microstructure has also been discussed. The results indicate that the microstructural evolution includes three stages—the initial rapid coarsening of the fine grains within the powders, the formation of continuous liquid layer on the primary particle surface (the original powder), and the final coarsening—that result from the phase transformations of θ→α, α→L, and α→L and L→α, respectively. The coarsening rate of the primary particles is low, and one original powder always evolves into one spheroidal particle with a continuous liquid layer surface. Properly raising the heating temperature is beneficial for obtaining an ideal semisolid microstructure.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Li, P.; Chen, T.; Zhang, S.; Guan, R. Research on Semisolid Microstructural Evolution of 2024 Aluminum Alloy Prepared by Powder Thixoforming. Metals 2015, 5, 547-564.
AMA Style
Li P, Chen T, Zhang S, Guan R. Research on Semisolid Microstructural Evolution of 2024 Aluminum Alloy Prepared by Powder Thixoforming. Metals. 2015; 5(2):547-564.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLi, Pubo; Chen, Tijun; Zhang, Suqing; Guan, Renguo. 2015. "Research on Semisolid Microstructural Evolution of 2024 Aluminum Alloy Prepared by Powder Thixoforming" Metals 5, no. 2: 547-564.
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