Thermomagnetic Processing of Aluminum Alloys During Heat Treatment

Processing materials under magnetic fields is an underexplored technique to improve structure and mechanical properties in metals and alloys. Magnetic fields can alter phase stability, modify diffusion characteristics, and alter material flow substantially. In castings, magnetic fields can be used during melting of the alloy, during solidification, or during postprocessing operations such as heat treatment to achieve structural changes. This work investigates the effectiveness of thermomagnetic processing during heat treatment of Al alloys containing in the Al-Cu, Al-Si-Cu, and Al-Mg-Ce systems. We demonstrate an improvement in mechanical properties and a reduction in required heat treatment times for all alloys.

Automated summary

Processing materials under magnetic fields is an underexplored technique that can improve structure and mechanical properties in metals and alloys by altering phase stability, diffusion characteristics, and material flow. This technique can be applied during melting, solidification, or postprocessing operations in castings to achieve structural changes, resulting in improved mechanical properties and reduced heat treatment times for all alloys.