Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.9
2.6
Journals
Metals
Special Issues
Structure and Properties of Aluminium Alloys 2024
share announcement

Structure and Properties of Aluminium Alloys 2024

A special issue of Metals (ISSN 2075-4701). This special issue belongs to the section "Metal Casting, Forming and Heat Treatment".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 May 2025 | Viewed by 6586

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Franc Zupanič

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova 17, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Interests: aluminium; quasicrystal; solidification; heat treatment; heat resistance; metallography; continuous casting; indentation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The annual global production of primary aluminium and its alloys has been on the rise in recent decades. The future of this industry looks promising, as the applications of aluminium and its alloys have significantly diversified across various sectors, including automotive, aerospace, packaging, and construction. The key property of aluminium is its low density, which forms the basis for the high specific strength and modulus of its alloys. The use of aluminium alloys can further contribute to a substantial reduction in energy consumption and carbon footprints, particularly by increasing aluminium production using green energy and enhancing recycling.

The main prerequisite for the future success of aluminium and its alloys is the continuous improvement of existing aluminium alloys and the development of new ones. In addition to conventional fabrication methods (casting, forming, powder metallurgy), additive manufacturing technologies provide additional opportunities for tailoring the microstructure of the alloys and designing new combinations of properties.

In this Special Issue, we welcome original research articles and reviews. The research areas should include the relationships between the manufacturing methods, structure, and properties of aluminium alloys. Specifically, the properties of aluminium alloys are based on their structure, which can be modified using different manufacturing routes. Articles dealing with the effect of microstructure and properties on carbon footprints are highly desirable. The papers presented in this Special Issue should provide an overview of the scientific and technological state of the art of aluminium alloys in 2024 (see the Keywords/Topics below). Your contribution to this 2024 account will be highly valuable and appreciated. We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Franc Zupanič
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Metals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • aluminium
  • manufacturing
  • heat treatment
  • carbon footprint
  • microstructure
  • properties

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

16 pages, 7374 KiB  
Article
Effect of Roundness and Surface Roughness of Foundry Sand on the Temperature Change of Sand Cores for Aluminum Casting
by Taekyu Ha, Jongmin Kim, Youngki Lee, Byungil Kang and Youngjig Kim
Metals 2025, 15(1), 88; https://doi.org/10.3390/met15010088 - 18 Jan 2025
Viewed by 732
Abstract
Organic binder in sand cores, such as phenol-formaldehyde binder, rapidly decomposes above 550 K, releasing gases including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hydrocarbon gases. A rapid temperature rise in the core increases gas evolution during the casting process. The roundness and surface roughness [...] Read more.
Organic binder in sand cores, such as phenol-formaldehyde binder, rapidly decomposes above 550 K, releasing gases including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hydrocarbon gases. A rapid temperature rise in the core increases gas evolution during the casting process. The roundness and surface roughness of foundry sand particles influence temperature changes in sand cores. This study investigates how these factors affect temperature change in packed sand beds and cores and the gas porosity at the interface between the core and the A356 Al castings. Temperature changes were measured using three types of sand: angular artificial sand (AAS), natural sand (NS) with different roundness and surface roughness, and polished AAS with a smooth surface. Additionally, the temperature rise in cores was measured with varying proportions of AAS. Packed sand beds and cores with low roundness and rough surface morphology form macro and micro-gaps due to high porosity and surface roughness. These gaps, filled with interstitial gas of low thermal conductivity, hinder heat conduction. Delaying the temperature rise of the core could reduce weight loss from binder decomposition, thereby decreasing gas porosity at the interface between the A356 Al castings and the core. These findings on the effects of roundness and surface roughness on temperature changes in packed sand beds and cores provide methods for reducing gas emission during the casting process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure and Properties of Aluminium Alloys 2024)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

15 pages, 10235 KiB  
Article
Effect of Stable and Transient Cavitation on Ultrasonic Degassing of Al Alloy
by Youngki Lee, Jongmin Kim, Taekyu Ha, Byungil Kang and Youngjig Kim
Metals 2024, 14(12), 1372; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14121372 - 1 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1160
Abstract
Cavitation is a critical phenomenon for improving melt quality in casting processes by reducing hydrogen porosity, and it can be classified into two major types based on bubble dynamics, stable and transient cavitation. In this study, the relationship between stable and transient cavitation [...] Read more.
Cavitation is a critical phenomenon for improving melt quality in casting processes by reducing hydrogen porosity, and it can be classified into two major types based on bubble dynamics, stable and transient cavitation. In this study, the relationship between stable and transient cavitation and the degassing efficiency of A356 alloy was evaluated. Cavitation intensity was quantified based on the Karman vortices method, and the measured cavitation intensities were processed through FFT transformation to analyze the acoustic spectra. The line spectrum and continuous spectrum were characterized separately to quantify stable and transient cavitation in distilled water. Negligible change in stable cavitation was observed, while transient cavitation increased with amplitude. On the other hand, both stable and transient cavitation increased proportionally with frequency. By employing the characterized cavitation indices, the effects of stable and transient cavitation on ultrasonic degassing of A356 were assessed. It was confirmed that transient cavitation was the dominant factor in the degassing before the degassing efficiency reached a steady state. This study clearly demonstrates that optimizing frequency to enhance transient cavitation is a more effective approach for increasing intensity and, consequently, improving degassing efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure and Properties of Aluminium Alloys 2024)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1543 KiB  
Article
Fluidity of Pure Aluminum in a Narrow Channel Die Gap during Die Casting
by Toshio Haga and Hiroshi Fuse
Metals 2024, 14(10), 1133; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14101133 - 4 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1102
Abstract
Fluidity tests of 99.9%Al and 99.7%Al were conducted using a die casting machine equipped with a spiral die with a channel gap of 0.5 mm. The effects of die temperature and plunger speed on the fluidity were investigated. To clarify the flow length [...] Read more.
Fluidity tests of 99.9%Al and 99.7%Al were conducted using a die casting machine equipped with a spiral die with a channel gap of 0.5 mm. The effects of die temperature and plunger speed on the fluidity were investigated. To clarify the flow length for these alloys, ADC12 and Al-X%Fe (X ≤ 1.1) were also cast. A 1.0 mm channel gap was also used to compare the fluidity in a wider gap. The fluidity of 99.9%Al and 99.7%Al at a die temperature of 30 °C and a plunger speed of 0.2 m/s was superior to that at 150 °C and 0.8 m/s when the channel gap was 0.5 mm, and similar results were found for ADC12 and Al-X%Fe. When the die temperature was 30 °C, the fluidity of 99.9%Al and 99.7%Al decreased as the plunger speed increased when the channel gap was 0.5 mm, and similar results were also found for ADC12 and Al-X%Fe. These results did not align with conventional expectations. A discussion of the results based on the peeling and re-melting of the solidified layer was provided. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure and Properties of Aluminium Alloys 2024)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 16268 KiB  
Article
Effect of Er on the Hot Deformation Behavior of the Crossover Al3Zn3Mg3Cu0.2Zr Alloy
by Maria V. Glavatskikh, Leonid E. Gorlov, Irina S. Loginova, Ruslan Yu. Barkov, Maxim G. Khomutov, Alexander Yu. Churyumov and Andrey V. Pozdniakov
Metals 2024, 14(10), 1114; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14101114 - 29 Sep 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1130
Abstract
The effect of an erbium alloying on the hot deformation behavior of the crossover Al3Zn3Mg3Cu0.2Zr alloy was investigated in detail. First of all, Er increases the solidus temperature of the alloy. This allows hot deformation at a higher temperature. The precipitates resulting from [...] Read more.
The effect of an erbium alloying on the hot deformation behavior of the crossover Al3Zn3Mg3Cu0.2Zr alloy was investigated in detail. First of all, Er increases the solidus temperature of the alloy. This allows hot deformation at a higher temperature. The precipitates resulting from the Er alloying of the Al3Zn3Mg3Cu0.2Zr alloy were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy. Erbium addition to the alloy produces the formation of more stable and fine L12-(Al3(Zr, Er)) precipitates with a size of 20–60 nm. True stress tends to increase with a decline in the temperature and an increase in the deformation rate. The addition of Er leads to decreases in true stress at the strain rates of 0.01–1 s−1 due to particle-stimulated nucleation softening mechanisms. The effective activation energy of the alloy with the Er addition has a lower value, enabling an easier hot deformation process in the alloy with an elevated volume fraction of the intermetallic particles. The addition of Er increases the strain rate sensitivity, which makes the failure during deformation less probable. The investigated alloys have a significant difference in the dependence of the activation volume on the temperature. The flow instability criterion allows better deformability of Er-doped alloys and enables the alloys to be formed more easily. The evenly distributed particles prevent the formation of shear bands with elevated storage energy and decrease the probability of crack initiation during the initial stages of hot deformation when only one softening mechanism (dynamic recovery) is working. The microstructure analysis proves that dynamic recovery is the main softening mechanism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure and Properties of Aluminium Alloys 2024)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 33753 KiB  
Article
Mechanical Properties and Deformation Behavior of Open-Cell Type Aluminum Foams with Structural Conditions and Alloy Composition
by Jongmin Kim, Taekyu Ha, Youngki Lee, Byungil Kang and Youngjig Kim
Metals 2024, 14(8), 877; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14080877 - 30 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1514
Abstract
Open-cell type aluminum foams with various structural conditions and alloy compositions were manufactured using the replication casting process. The porosity of the foams ranged from 55% to 62%, with pore sizes of 0.7~1.0 mm, 1.0~2.0 mm, and 2.8~3.4 mm. The alloys employed included [...] Read more.
Open-cell type aluminum foams with various structural conditions and alloy compositions were manufactured using the replication casting process. The porosity of the foams ranged from 55% to 62%, with pore sizes of 0.7~1.0 mm, 1.0~2.0 mm, and 2.8~3.4 mm. The alloys employed included commercial A356 and A383, as well as Al-6Mg-(0, 2, 4, 6)Si alloys. Compression tests were conducted under various conditions of the foams, and the results were comparatively analyzed based on the detailed structural conditions and alloy compositions. It was observed that for the same alloy composition and equivalent porosity, a reduction in pore size led to an increased number of cell walls, enhancing energy dispersion and resulting in higher compressive yield strength and energy absorption. Under the same pore size, a decrease in porosity increased the relative density and cell wall thickness, leading to improved compressive yield strength and energy absorption. Furthermore, compressive evaluation based on alloy composition revealed the influence of the inherent mechanical properties of the material on the mechanical properties of open-cell type aluminum foams. Specifically, it was confirmed that alloys with higher ductility exhibited elastic behavior of the internal cells under external stress, significantly influencing the energy absorption of foams. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure and Properties of Aluminium Alloys 2024)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop