Durability of materials in molten aluminum alloys

The durability of metals and ceramics in molten aluminum is a great concern in engineering applications such as die casting, containment of liquid metals and semi-solid processing. This paper summarizes related work along with the experimental results from our laboratory. Most of the important engineering materials are included. Ceramics such as graphite, aluminosilicate refractories, AlN, Al2O3, Si3N4, sialons are characterized as inert in molten aluminum and its alloys. The corrosion resistance of metals is generally poorer than that of inert ceramics, although the durability of titanium and niobium is relatively good. Factors affecting the material durability in molten aluminum, including the interfacial layers, dynamic agitation, surface coatings and grain size are also discussed. (C) 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers.