A Novel Approach to Investigate the Superheating Grain Refinement Process of Aluminum-Bearing Magnesium Alloys Using Rapid Solidification Process

The superheating process is a unique grain refining method found only in aluminum-containing magnesium alloys. It is a relatively simple method of controlling the temperature of the melt without adding a nucleating agent or refining agent for grain refinement. Although previous studies have been conducted on this process, the precise mechanism underlying this phenomenon has yet to be elucidated. In this study, a new approach was used to investigate the grain refinement mechanism of aluminum-containing magnesium alloys by the melting superheating process. AZ91 alloy, a representative Mg-Al alloy, was used in the study, and a rapid solidification process was designed to enable precise temperature control. Temperature control was successfully conducted in a unique way by measuring the temperature of the ceramic tube during the rapid solidification process. The presence of Al8Mn5 and Al10Mn3 particles in non-superheated and superheated AZ91 ribbon samples, respectively, manufactured by the rapid solidification process, was revealed. The role of these Al-Mn particles as nucleants in non-superheated and superheated samples was examined by employing STEM equipment. The crystallographic coherence between Al8Mn5 particles and magnesium was very poor, while Al10Mn3 particles showed better coherence than Al8Mn5. We speculated that Al10Mn3 particles generated by the superheating process may act as nucleants for & alpha;-Mg grains; this was the main cause of the superheating grain refinement of the AZ91 alloy.

Automated summary

The superheating process is a unique grain refining method in aluminum-containing magnesium alloys. This study explored its mechanism by using a new approach of melting superheating process. The experiment revealed the presence of different Al-Mn particles and their role as nucleants for grain refinement in the AZ91 alloy.