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Effects of trace Cr on as-cast microstructure and microstructural evolution of semi-solid isothermal heat treatment ZC61 magnesium alloy

The content and kind of trace elements in magnesium alloys have important effects on their ascast and semi-solid microstructures. In this research work, effects of trace Cr on as-cast and semi-solid microstructures of ZC61 magnesium alloy were investigated by metal mold casting and semi-solid isothe...

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Published in:China foundry 2019, Vol.16 (1), p.53-62
Main Authors: Huang, Xiao-feng, Ma, Ya-jie, Zhang, Qiao-qiao, Wei, Lang-lang, Yang, Jian-qiao
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:The content and kind of trace elements in magnesium alloys have important effects on their ascast and semi-solid microstructures. In this research work, effects of trace Cr on as-cast and semi-solid microstructures of ZC61 magnesium alloy were investigated by metal mold casting and semi-solid isothermal heat treatment. The results show that the addition of Cr can refine the α-Mg phase without generating a new phase, noticeably change the eutectic phase, and decrease the average size of solid particles at the same isothermal heat treatment conditions. Non-dendritic microstructures of all alloys are constituted of α 1 -Mg phases, α 2 -Mg phases and eutectic phases after water quenching. With isothermal temperature increased or holding time prolonged, the eutectic microstructure (α-Mg+MgZn 2 +CuMgZn) at the grain boundaries in as-cast alloy is melted preferentially and then turned into semi-solid non-dendritic microstructure by processes of initial coarsening, microstructure separation, spheroidizing and final coarsening. Especially when the ZC61-0.1Cr alloy was treated at 585 °C for 30 min, the ideal non-dendritic microstructure can be obtained, and the corresponding solid particle size and shape factor were 37.5 μm and 1.33, respectively. The coarsening process of solid α-Mg phase at higher temperature or longer time, which is affected by both combining growth and Ostwald ripening mechanism, is refrained when Cr is added to the ZC61 alloy.
ISSN:1672-6421
2365-9459
1672-6421
DOI:10.1007/s41230-019-8112-z