Effect of Al4C3 Particle Size Distribution in a Al-2.5C Master Alloy on the Refining Efficiency of the AZ31 Alloy

doi:10.1007/s40195-017-0556-9

Abstract

Abstract:

The Al-2.5C master alloy is prepared to investigate the effect of the Al₄C₃ particle size distribution on the refining efficiency of the AZ31 alloy. The results indicate that the Al₄C₃particles are potent nucleation substrates for primary α-Mg grains. With 1.0 wt% master alloy addition, the grain size is reduced from 204 to 70 μm. The grain refining efficiency of the Al₄C₃particles on the AZ31 alloy is calculated to be 0.04%-0.75%. Such low refining efficiency is mainly attributed to the size distribution of the Al₄C₃ particles. The particle sizes are in the range from 0.18 to 7.08 μm, and their distribution is well fitted by a log-normal function. The optimum particle size range for significant grain refinement is proposed to be around 5.0-7.08 μm in the present conditions.

Key words: Particle size distribution, Grain refining efficiency, Al-2.5C master alloy, Magnesium alloys

Yu-Zhen Zhao, Xiao-Teng Liu, Hai Hao. Effect of Al₄C₃ Particle Size Distribution in a Al-2.5C Master Alloy on the Refining Efficiency of the AZ31 Alloy[J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2017, 30(6): 505-512.

Figures/Tables 13

References

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Range of particle size (μm)	Number of particles	Percent (%)
0.18-0.5	55	6.67
0.5-1.0	270	32.77
1.0-1.5	225	27.31
1.5-2.0	108	13.11
2.0-2.5	75	9.10
2.5-3.0	29	3.52
3.0-3.5	26	3.16
3.5-4.0	16	1.94
4.0-4.5	10	1.21
4.5-5.0	3	0.36
5.0-5.5	1	0.12
5.5-6.0	3	0.36
6.0-6.5	1	0.12
6.5-7.0	1	0.12
7.0-7.08	1	0.12

Range of particle size (μm)	Number of particles	Percent (%)
0.18-0.5	55	6.67
0.5-1.0	270	32.77
1.0-1.5	225	27.31
1.5-2.0	108	13.11
2.0-2.5	75	9.10
2.5-3.0	29	3.52
3.0-3.5	26	3.16
3.5-4.0	16	1.94
4.0-4.5	10	1.21
4.5-5.0	3	0.36
5.0-5.5	1	0.12
5.5-6.0	3	0.36
6.0-6.5	1	0.12
6.5-7.0	1	0.12
7.0-7.08	1	0.12

Addition amount (wt%)	Element (wt%)
Addition amount (wt%)	Al	Mn	Zn	Mg
0	2.3471	0.2989	0.8372	Balance
0.3	2.4279	0.3019	0.9535	Balance
0.6	2.3883	0.2934	0.7944	Balance
1.0	2.3564	0.2629	0.9069	Balance
1.5	2.2959	0.2694	0.9484	Balance
2.0	2.3816	0.3387	0.8585	Balance
3.4	2.5284	0.1738	1.066	Balance

Addition amount (wt%)	Element (wt%)
Addition amount (wt%)	Al	Mn	Zn	Mg
0	2.3471	0.2989	0.8372	Balance
0.3	2.4279	0.3019	0.9535	Balance
0.6	2.3883	0.2934	0.7944	Balance
1.0	2.3564	0.2629	0.9069	Balance
1.5	2.2959	0.2694	0.9484	Balance
2.0	2.3816	0.3387	0.8585	Balance
3.4	2.5284	0.1738	1.066	Balance

Quantity	Symbol	Units	Value
Number of particles per unit volume in master alloy	N_V	mm^-3	1.18 × 10⁸
Number of particles per unit area in master alloy	N_A	mm^-2	1.31 × 10⁵
Mean diameter of particles in master alloy*	d₀	mm	1.11 × 10^-3
Total number of particles measured in master alloy*	N	-	824
Total area measured in master alloy*	A_T	mm²	6.30 × 10^-3
Mass of master alloy*	M₁	g	100
Volume of master alloy*	V₁	mm³	1.20 × 10⁴
Density of master alloy	ρ₁	g mm^-3	8.33 × 10^-3
Mass of AZ31 alloy ingot*	M₀	g	110
Volume of AZ31 alloy ingot	V₀	mm³	6.36 × 10⁴
Density of AZ31 alloy ingot*	ρ₀	g mm^-3	1.73 × 10^-3
Grain size*	D	μm	-
Number density of total particles added to AZ31	N₀	mm^-3	-
Number density of effective particles added to AZ31	N_e	mm^-3	-
Addition amount of master alloy*	m	g	-
Nucleation efficiency	η	-	-
Formula	NA=NATNV=NAd0Ne=0.57D3[28]N0=NV?mρ1?V0ρ=MVNA=NATNV=NAd0Ne=0.57D3[28]N0=NV?mρ1?V0ρ=MV

Effect of Al₄C₃ Particle Size Distribution in a Al-2.5C Master Alloy on the Refining Efficiency of the AZ31 Alloy

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Addition amount of master alloy (g)	Grain size (μm)	Number density of total particles (mm^-3)	Number density of effective particles (mm^-3)	Nucleation efficiency (%)
0.3	114	6.67 × 10⁴	385	0.58
0.6	84	1.33 × 10⁵	962	0.72
1.0	70	2.22 × 10⁵	1662	0.75
1.5	117	3.34 × 10⁵	356	0.11
2.0	111	4.45 × 10⁵	417	0.09
3.4	124	7.56 × 10⁵	299	0.04

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