Casting and Forming of Light Alloys

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: closed (31 May 2023) | Viewed by 18322

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Special Issue Editor

State Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Die & Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Interests: magnesium and aluminum alloys; metal matrix composites; casting technology; solidification microstructure control; 3D printing technology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the rapid development of aviation, aerospace, navigation, automotive, electronics and other fields, the demand for light alloys components is increasing, and the performance requirements are higher and higher, especially large complex light alloy components. Therefore, high-performance light alloys will have a great application potential in the future. Casting and forming of the light alloys constitute an important step to obtain the large and complex light alloys components with high performance. Together with the compositions of the light alloys, they determine the formability, defect, microstructure and mechanical properties of the light alloys.

For the Special Issue reviews, short communications and full-length research papers focused on following topics are welcome:

  • Manufacturing of innovative high-strength light alloys by the casting and forming;
  • Processes of the casting and forming, such as different casting methods, forging, welding, or 3D printing for the light alloys;
  • Relationships between the forming process and the microstructure and mechanical properties of the light alloys;
  • Microstructural design and control of the light alloys in the casting and forming processes;
  • Numerical simulation of the casting and forming processes;
  • Formation and control of quality and defects of the casting and forming products.

Common light alloys such as aluminum, magnesium, titanium alloys or their composites are considered. Special attention should be paid to the relationships between the process conditions, the microstructural features, and the mechanical properties.

Prof. Dr. Wenming Jiang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Casting
  • Forging
  • Welding
  • 3D printing
  • Forming control
  • Microstructure
  • Mechanical properties
  • Defects
  • Numerical simulation.

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 163 KiB  
Editorial
Casting and Forming of Light Alloys
by Wenming Jiang and Yuancai Xu
Metals 2023, 13(9), 1598; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13091598 - 15 Sep 2023
Viewed by 536
Abstract
With the rapid development of aviation, aerospace, navigation, automotive, electronics and other fields, the demand for light alloys components is increasing, and the performance requirements are becoming higher and higher, especially for large complex light alloys components [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Casting and Forming of Light Alloys)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

14 pages, 11421 KiB  
Article
Effect of Rubidium on Solidification Parameters, Structure and Operational Characteristics of Eutectic Al-Si Alloy
by Igor A. Petrov, Anastasiya D. Shlyaptseva, Alexandr P. Ryakhovsky, Elena V. Medvedeva and Victor V. Tcherdyntsev
Metals 2023, 13(8), 1398; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13081398 - 04 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 678
Abstract
Modification of the eutectic silicon in Al–Si alloys causes a structural transformation of the silicon phase from a needle-like to a fine fibrous morphology and is carried out extensively in the industry to improve mechanical properties of the alloys. The theories and mechanisms [...] Read more.
Modification of the eutectic silicon in Al–Si alloys causes a structural transformation of the silicon phase from a needle-like to a fine fibrous morphology and is carried out extensively in the industry to improve mechanical properties of the alloys. The theories and mechanisms explaining the eutectic modification in Al–Si alloys are considered. We discuss the mechanism of eutectic rubidium modification in the light of experimental data obtained via quantitative X-ray spectral microanalysis and thermal analysis. X-ray mapping revealed that rubidium, which theoretically satisfies the adsorption mechanisms of silicon modification, had an effect on the silicon growth during solidification. Rubidium was distributed relatively homogeneously in the silicon phase. Microstructural studies have shown that rubidium effectively refines eutectic silicon, changing its morphology. Modification with rubidium extends the solidification range due to a decrease in the solidus temperature. The highest level of mechanical properties of the alloy under study was obtained with rubidium content in the range of 0.007–0.01%. We concluded that rubidium may be used as a modifier in Al-Si eutectic and pre-eutectic alloys. The duration of the modifying effect of rubidium in the Al-12wt%Si alloy melt and porosity in the alloy modified with rubidium were evaluated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Casting and Forming of Light Alloys)
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18 pages, 8997 KiB  
Article
Study on Friction and Wear Properties and Mechanism at Different Temperatures of Friction Stir Lap Welding Joint of SiCp/ZL101 and ZL101
by Bei Yuan, Dunming Liao, Wenming Jiang, Han Deng and Guangyu Li
Metals 2023, 13(1), 3; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13010003 - 20 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1140
Abstract
In order to achieve the goal of lightening the braking system of urban rail trains, SiCp/ZL101 and ZL101 plates were welded by friction stir lap welding (FSLW) to prepare a new type of brake disc material. The friction and wear properties of the [...] Read more.
In order to achieve the goal of lightening the braking system of urban rail trains, SiCp/ZL101 and ZL101 plates were welded by friction stir lap welding (FSLW) to prepare a new type of brake disc material. The friction and wear properties of the friction-stir-processed composite material were studied at different temperatures (30 °C, 100 °C, 150 °C, 200 °C, 250 °C, 300 °C) to provide a theoretical basis for the evaluation of braking performance. The experimental results showed that the sliding friction processes at each temperature were relatively stable, the friction coefficients did not vary much and the average friction coefficients changed slightly, stabilizing at about 0.4. The wear extent and the depth of wear scars increased with the increase in the temperature, reaching the highest at 150 °C and then began to decrease. At room temperature, the wear forms were mainly oxidative wear and abrasive wear; as the temperature rose, under the cyclic shearing action of the grinding ball, the abrasive debris fell off under the expansion of fatigue cracks and fatigue wear was the main form at this stage. When the temperature reached 200 °C, it began to show the characteristics of adhesive wear; after 250 °C, due to the gradual formation of a mechanical mixed layer containing more SiC particles and oxides on the wear surface, it exhibited high-temperature lubrication characteristics, and the wear extent was equivalent to 35% of the wear extent at normal temperature, indicating that the composite material had good high-temperature friction and wear properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Casting and Forming of Light Alloys)
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15 pages, 5760 KiB  
Article
Microstructure and Compressive Properties of Porous 2024Al-Al3Zr Composites
by Wenchang Zhang, Kun Xu, Wei Long and Xiaoping Zhou
Metals 2022, 12(12), 2017; https://doi.org/10.3390/met12122017 - 24 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1030
Abstract
Porous 2024Al-Al3Zr composites were prepared by in situ and spatial scaffolding methods. As the Al3Zr content increased from 5 wt.% to 30 wt.%, the binding of the powder in the pore wall increased and the defects in the composites [...] Read more.
Porous 2024Al-Al3Zr composites were prepared by in situ and spatial scaffolding methods. As the Al3Zr content increased from 5 wt.% to 30 wt.%, the binding of the powder in the pore wall increased and the defects in the composites decreased. The yield strength of the composites reached 28.11 MPa and the energy absorption capacity was 11.68 MJ/m3 at a Zr content of 20 wt.%, when the composites had the best compression and energy absorption performance. As the space scaffold content increased from 50% to 70%, the porosity of the composites then increased from 53.51% to 70.70%, but the apparent density gradually decreased from 1.46 g/cm3 to 0.92 g/cm3, leading to a gradual decrease in their compressive properties. In addition, by analysing the compression fracture morphology, the increase of Al3Zr will reduce the stress concentration and hinder the crack growth, while too much Al3Zr will lead to brittleness and reduce the performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Casting and Forming of Light Alloys)
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17 pages, 14850 KiB  
Article
Microstructure Comparison for AlSn20Cu Antifriction Alloys Prepared by Semi-Continuous Casting, Semi-Solid Die Casting, and Spray Forming
by Shuhui Huang, Baohong Zhu, Yongan Zhang, Hongwei Liu, Shuaishuai Wu and Haofeng Xie
Metals 2022, 12(10), 1552; https://doi.org/10.3390/met12101552 - 20 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1247
Abstract
Antifriction alloys such as AlSn20Cu are key material options for sliding bearings used in machinery. Uniform distribution and a near-equiaxed granularity tin phase are generally considered to be ideal characteristics of an AlSn20Cu antifriction alloy, although these properties vary by fabrication method. In [...] Read more.
Antifriction alloys such as AlSn20Cu are key material options for sliding bearings used in machinery. Uniform distribution and a near-equiaxed granularity tin phase are generally considered to be ideal characteristics of an AlSn20Cu antifriction alloy, although these properties vary by fabrication method. In this study, to analyze the variation of the microstructure with the fabrication method, AlSn20Cu alloys are prepared by three methods: semi-continuous casting, semi-solid die casting, and spray forming. Bearing blanks are subsequently prepared from the fabricated alloys using different processes. Morphological information, such as the total area ratio and average particle diameter of the tin phase, are quantitatively characterized. For the tin phase of the AlSn20Cu alloy, the deformation and annealing involved in semi-continuous casting leads to a prolate particle shape. The average particle diameter of the tin phase is 12.6 µm, and the overall distribution state is related to the deformation direction. The tin phase of AlSn20Cu alloys prepared by semi-solid die casting presents both nearly spherical and strip shapes, with an average particle diameter of 9.6 µm. The tin phase of AlSn20Cu alloys prepared by spray forming and blocking hot extrusion presents a nearly equilateral shape, with an average particle diameter of 6.2 µm. These results indicate that, of the three preparation methods analyzed in this study, semi-solid die casting provides the shortest process flow time, whereas a finer and more uniform tin-phase structure may be obtained using the spray-forming process. The semi-solid die casting method presents the greatest potential for industrial application, and this method therefore presents a promising possibility for further optimization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Casting and Forming of Light Alloys)
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15 pages, 7350 KiB  
Article
Hot Deformation Behavior of Alloy AA7003 with Different Zn/Mg Ratios
by Xu Zheng, Jianguo Tang, Li Wan, Yan Zhao, Chuanrong Jiao and Yong Zhang
Metals 2022, 12(9), 1452; https://doi.org/10.3390/met12091452 - 30 Aug 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 859
Abstract
The hot-deformation behavior of three medium-strength Al-Zn-Mg alloys with different Zn/Mg ratios was studied using isothermal-deformation compression tests; the true strain and true stress were recorded for constructing series-processing maps. A few constitutive equations describe the relationship between flow stress and hot-working parameters. [...] Read more.
The hot-deformation behavior of three medium-strength Al-Zn-Mg alloys with different Zn/Mg ratios was studied using isothermal-deformation compression tests; the true strain and true stress were recorded for constructing series-processing maps. A few constitutive equations describe the relationship between flow stress and hot-working parameters. The microstructures were characterized using an electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) detector and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The results show that the optimized deformation parameters for ternary alloy AA7003 are within a temperature range of 653 K to 813 K and with strain rates lower than 0.3 S−1. The microstructures show that materials with a lower Zn/Mg ratio of 6.3 could lead to a problematic hot-deformation capability. Alloys with a higher Zn/Mg ratio of 10.8 exhibited better workability than lower Zn/Mg ratios. The Al3Zr dispersoids are effective in inhibiting the recrystallization for alloy AA7003, and the Zn/Mg ratios could potentially affect the drag force of the dispersoids. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Casting and Forming of Light Alloys)
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13 pages, 4674 KiB  
Article
Fabrication of Mg/Al Clad Strips by Direct Cladding from Molten Metals
by Gengyan Feng, Hisaki Watari and Toshio Haga
Metals 2022, 12(9), 1408; https://doi.org/10.3390/met12091408 - 25 Aug 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1338
Abstract
This work describes the fabrication of AZ91D/A5052 clad strips by direct cladding from molten metals using a horizontal twin roll caster. Subsequently, the effects of roll speed, pouring sequence, and solidification length on the AZ91D/A5052 clad strips were investigated. The AZ91D/A5052 clad strips [...] Read more.
This work describes the fabrication of AZ91D/A5052 clad strips by direct cladding from molten metals using a horizontal twin roll caster. Subsequently, the effects of roll speed, pouring sequence, and solidification length on the AZ91D/A5052 clad strips were investigated. The AZ91D/A5052 clad strips with a thickness of 4.9 mm were successfully cast at a roll speed of 9 m/min and with a 5 mm roll gap. The cladding ratio of AZ91D/A5052 was about 1:1. The single-roll casting results showed that the experimental solidification constants of AZ91D and A5052 were 62 mm/min0.5 and 34 mm/min0.5, respectively. The twin-roll casting results showed that the effect of rolling speed on the surface condition of A5052 was greater than that of AZ91D. In addition, the high melting point A5052 alloy poured into the lower nozzle could solve the remelting problem of the low melting point AZ91D. Moreover, extending the upper solidification distance could reduce the generation of intermetallic compounds. The EDS analysis results showed no voids at the bonding interface, while three intermetallic compound layers were also found at the bonding interface of AZ91D/A5052 strips, namely α-Mg + Mg17Al12, Mg17Al12, and Al3Mg2. This study could be instructive for dissimilar sheet metal bonding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Casting and Forming of Light Alloys)
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17 pages, 7969 KiB  
Article
Effect of Vibration Acceleration on Interface Microstructure and Bonding Strength of Mg–Al Bimetal Produced by Compound Casting
by Feng Guan, Suo Fan, Junlong Wang, Guangyu Li, Zheng Zhang and Wenming Jiang
Metals 2022, 12(5), 766; https://doi.org/10.3390/met12050766 - 29 Apr 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1546
Abstract
Vibration was adopted to enhance the interface bonding of Mg–Al bimetal prepared by the lost foam compound casting (LFCC) technique. The Mg–Al bimetallic interface was composed of three layers: layer I (Al3Mg2 and Mg2Si phases), layer II (Al [...] Read more.
Vibration was adopted to enhance the interface bonding of Mg–Al bimetal prepared by the lost foam compound casting (LFCC) technique. The Mg–Al bimetallic interface was composed of three layers: layer I (Al3Mg2 and Mg2Si phases), layer II (Al12Mg17 and Mg2Si phases), and layer III (Al12Mg17 + δ-Mg eutectic structure). With the increase in vibration acceleration, the cooling rate of the Mg–Al bimetal increased, resulting in the decrease in the reaction duration that generates the intermetallic compounds (IMCs) layer (including layers I and II) and its thickness. On the other hand, the Mg2Si phase in the IMCs layer was refined, and its distribution became more uniform with the increase in the vibration acceleration. Finally, the shear strength of the Mg–Al bimetal continued to increase to 45.1 MPa when the vibration acceleration increased to 0.9, which was 40% higher than that of the Mg–Al bimetal without vibration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Casting and Forming of Light Alloys)
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11 pages, 2394 KiB  
Article
Mechanical and Tribological Behavior of Gravity and Squeeze Cast Novel Al-Si Alloy
by Vadlamudi Srinivasa Chandra, Koorella S. V. B. R. Krishna, Manickam Ravi, Katakam Sivaprasad, Subramaniam Dhanasekaran and Konda Gokuldoss Prashanth
Metals 2022, 12(2), 194; https://doi.org/10.3390/met12020194 - 21 Jan 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2302
Abstract
The automotive industry traditionally reduces weight primarily by value engineering and thickness optimization. However, both of these strategies have reached their limits. A 6% reduction in automotive truck mass results in a 13% improvement in freight mass. Aluminum alloys have lower weight, relatively [...] Read more.
The automotive industry traditionally reduces weight primarily by value engineering and thickness optimization. However, both of these strategies have reached their limits. A 6% reduction in automotive truck mass results in a 13% improvement in freight mass. Aluminum alloys have lower weight, relatively high specific strength, and good corrosion resistance. Therefore, the present manuscript involves manufacturing Al-based alloy by squeeze casting. The effect of applied pressure during the squeeze cast and gravity cast of a novel Al-Si alloy on microstructural evolution, and mechanical and wear behavior was investigated. The results demonstrated that squeeze casting of the novel Al-Si alloy at high-pressure exhibits superior mechanical properties and enhanced wear resistance in comparison to the gravity die-cast (GDC) counterpart. Squeeze casting of this alloy, at high pressure, yields fine dendrites and reduced dendritic arm spacing, resulting in grain refinement. The finer dendrites and reduced dendritic arm spacing in high-pressure squeeze cast alloy than in the GDC alloy were due to enhanced cooling rates observed during the solidification process, as well as the applied squeeze pressure breaks the initial dendrites that started growing during the solidification process. Reduced casting defects in the high-pressure squeeze cast alloy led to a reduced coefficient of friction, resulting in improved wear resistance even at higher loads and higher operating temperatures. Our results demonstrated that squeeze casting of the novel Al-Si alloy at high-pressure exhibits a 47% increase in tensile strength, 33% increase in hardness, 10% reduction in coefficient of friction, and 15% reduction in wear loss compared to the GDC counterpart. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Casting and Forming of Light Alloys)
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15 pages, 3431 KiB  
Article
Influence of Bifilm Defects Generated during Mould Filling on the Tensile Properties of Al–Si–Mg Cast Alloys
by Mahmoud Ahmed El-Sayed, Khamis Essa and Hany Hassanin
Metals 2022, 12(1), 160; https://doi.org/10.3390/met12010160 - 16 Jan 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1837
Abstract
Entrapped double oxide film defects are known to be the most detrimental defects during the casting of aluminium alloys. In addition, hydrogen dissolved in the aluminium melt was suggested to pass into the defects to expand them and cause hydrogen porosity. In this [...] Read more.
Entrapped double oxide film defects are known to be the most detrimental defects during the casting of aluminium alloys. In addition, hydrogen dissolved in the aluminium melt was suggested to pass into the defects to expand them and cause hydrogen porosity. In this work, the effect of two important casting parameters (the filtration and hydrogen content) on the properties of Al–7 Si–0.3 Mg alloy castings was studied using a full factorial design of experiments approach. Casting properties such as the Weibull modulus and position parameter of the elongation and the tensile strength were considered as response parameters. The results suggested that adopting 10 PPI filters in the gating system resulted in a considerable boost of the Weibull moduli of the tensile strength and elongation due to the enhanced mould filling conditions that minimised the possibility of oxide film entrainment. In addition, the results showed that reducing the hydrogen content in the castings samples from 0.257 to 0.132 cm3/100 g Al was associated with a noticeable decrease in the size of bifilm defects with a corresponding improvement in the mechanical properties. Such significant effect of the process parameters studied on the casting properties suggests that the more careful and quiescent mould filling practice and the lower the hydrogen level of the casting, the higher the quality and reliability of the castings produced. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Casting and Forming of Light Alloys)
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11 pages, 5481 KiB  
Article
Complex Structure Modification and Improvement of Properties of Aluminium Casting Alloys with Various Silicon Content
by Anastasiya D. Shlyaptseva, Igor A. Petrov, Alexandr P. Ryakhovsky, Elena V. Medvedeva and Victor V. Tcherdyntsev
Metals 2021, 11(12), 1946; https://doi.org/10.3390/met11121946 - 01 Dec 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1880
Abstract
The possibility of using complex structure modification for aluminium casting alloys’ mechanical properties improvement was studied. The fluxes widely used in the industry are mainly intended for the modification of a single structural component of Al–Si alloys, which does not allow unifying of [...] Read more.
The possibility of using complex structure modification for aluminium casting alloys’ mechanical properties improvement was studied. The fluxes widely used in the industry are mainly intended for the modification of a single structural component of Al–Si alloys, which does not allow unifying of the modification process in a production environment. Thus, a new modifying flux that has a complex effect on the structure of Al–Si alloys has been developed. It consists of the following components: TiO2, containing a primary α-Al grain size modifier; BaF2 containing a eutectic silicon modifier; KF used to transform titanium and barium into the melt. The effect of the complex titanium dioxide-based modifier on the macro-, microstructure and the mechanical properties of industrial aluminium–silicon casting alloys containing 5%, 6%, 9%, 11% and 17% Si by weight was studied. It was found that the tensile strength (σB) of Al–Si alloys exceeds the similar characteristics for the alloys modified using the standard sodium-containing flux to 32%, and the relative elongation (δ) increases to 54%. The alloys’ mechanical properties improvement was shown to be the result of the flux component’s complex effect on the macro- and microstructure. The effect includes the simultaneous reduction in secondary dendritic arm spacing due to titanium, the refinement and decreasing size of silicon particles in the eutectic with barium and potassium, and the modifying of the primary silicon. The reliability of the studies was confirmed using up-to-date test systems, a significant amount of experimental data and the repeatability of the results for a large number of samples in the identical initial state. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Casting and Forming of Light Alloys)
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Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

20 pages, 6722 KiB  
Review
Recent Advances in the Grain Refinement Effects of Zr on Mg Alloys: A Review
by Ming Sun, Depeng Yang, Yu Zhang, Lin Mao, Xikuo Li and Song Pang
Metals 2022, 12(8), 1388; https://doi.org/10.3390/met12081388 - 21 Aug 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2522
Abstract
As the lightest structural materials, Mg alloys show great effectiveness at energy saving and emission reduction when applied in the automotive and aerospace fields. In particular, Zr-bearing Mg alloys (non-Al containing) exhibit high strengths and elevated-temperature usage values. Zr is the most powerful [...] Read more.
As the lightest structural materials, Mg alloys show great effectiveness at energy saving and emission reduction when applied in the automotive and aerospace fields. In particular, Zr-bearing Mg alloys (non-Al containing) exhibit high strengths and elevated-temperature usage values. Zr is the most powerful grain refiner, and it provides fine grain sizes, uniformities in microstructural and mechanical properties and processing formability for Mg alloys. Due to the importance of Zr alloying, this review paper systematically summarizes the latest research progress in the grain refinement effects of Zr on Mg alloys. The main points are reviewed, including the alloying process of Zr, the grain refinement mechanism of Zr, factors affecting the grain refinement effects of Zr, and methods improving grain refinement efficiency of Zr. This paper provides a comprehensive understating of grain refinement effects of Zr on Mg alloys for the researchers and engineers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Casting and Forming of Light Alloys)
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