A thermogravimetric study of the oxidative growth of Al2O3/Al alloy composites

The oxidation of liquid Al–Mg–Si alloys at 900–1400 °C was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The development of a semi-protective surface layer of MgO/MgAl2O4 allows the continuous formation of an Al2O3-matrix composite containing an interpenetrating network of metal microchannels at 1000–1350 °C. An initial incubation period precedes bulk oxidation, wherein Al2O3 grows from a near-surface alloy layer by reaction of oxygen supplied by the dissolution of the surface oxides and Al supplied from a bulk alloy reservoir through the microchannel network. The typical oxidation rate during bulk growth displays an initial acceleration followed by a parabolic deceleration in a regime apparently limited by Al transport to the near-surface layer. Both regimes may be influenced by the Si content in this layer, which rises due to preferential Al and Mg oxidation. The growth rates increase with temperature to a maximum at ~1300 °C, with a nominal activation energy of 270 kJ/mole for an Al-2.85 wt. % Mg-5.4 wt. % Si alloy in O2 at furnace temperatures of 1000–1300 °C. An oscillatory rate regime observed at 1000–1075 °C resulted in a banded structure of varying Al2O3-to-metal volume fraction.

Quasicrystals and their crystalline homologues in the Al-Mn-Cu ternary alloys

Electron diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopy have been employed to differentiate among icosahedral, decagonal and crystalline particles that occur in as-cast and rapidly solidified Al-Mn-Cu alloys. The resemblance between decagonal quasicrystals and crystals in their electron diffraction patterns is striking. The crystalline structure is based on the orthorhombic 'Al3Mn' structure, but also a new monoclinic phase called 'X' has been discovered and described here. The present observations are also closely related to the orthorhombic structures in Al60Mn11Ni4. The occurrence of fine-scale twinning and fragmentation into domains explains the complex diffraction effects.

Mechanical Properties of Al-Mica Particulate Composite Material

Cast aluminium alloy mica particle composites of varying mica content were tested in tension, compression, and impact. With 2.2 percent mica (size range 40µm – 120µm) the tensile and compression strengths of aluminium alloy decreased by 56 and 22 percent, respectively. The corresponding decreases in percent elongation and percent reduction are 49 and 39 percent. Previous work [2] shows that despite this decrease in strength the composite with 2.5 percent mica and having an UTS of 15 kg/mm2 and compression strength of 28 kg/mm2 performs well as a bearing material under severe running conditions. The differences in strength characteristics of cast aluminium-mica particle composites between tension and compression suggests that, as in cast iron, expansion of voids at the matrix particle interface may be the guiding mechanism of the deformation. SEM studies show that on the tensile fractured specimen surface, there are large voids at the particle matrix interface.

An in situ electron microscope investigation of the icosahedral-to-decagonal quasicrystalline transformation in Al-20 at.% Mn

The solid-state transformation behaviour of the icosahedral phase in rapidly solidified Al-20 at.% Mn has been investigated by in situ heating experiments in the transmission electron microscope. As-rapidly-solidified Al-20 at.% Mn consists mainly of a dendritic icosahedral phase, with a small amount of interdendritic f.c.c. agr-Al. During subsequent heat treatment at temperatures below about 500°C, the dendritic icosahedral phase grows and consumes the interdendritic agr-Al. At about 500°C the decagonal phase nucleates near icosahedral dendrite and grain boundaries and then grows into the icosahedral matrix by lateral motion of ledges 10-20 nm high across facet planes normal to the twofold symmetry axes. At about 600°C the decagonal phase transforms into a crystalline phase. The present study suggests that solid-state decomposition of the icosahedral phase is the mechanism of decagonal phase formation in as-rapidly-solidified Al-Mn alloys.

An Investigation Of Alkali Aluminosilicate Glasses By Si-29 And Al-27 Magic-Angle-Spinning Nmr-Spectroscopy

Alkali aluminosilicate glasses prepared by the gel and the melt routes have been investigated by Si-29 and Al-27 MAS NMR spectroscopy. It is found that Al has a tetrahedral coordination in the gel glasses modified with equivalent proportions of alkalis unlike in a pure aluminosilicate glass where Al has both four and six coordinations. Silicon is present as Q4 units in all the 5M2O 5Al2O3 9OSiO2 ( M = Li, Na and K) gel glasses studied whereas it is present in Q2 or Q3 species in the lithium aluminosilicate glasses of compositions 40Li2O x Al2O3 (1-x)SiO2 (1 less-than-or-equal-to x less-than-or-equal-to 15) and xLi2O 10Al2O3 (1-x)SiO2 (20 less-than-or-equal-to x less-than-or-equal-to 40). The combination of Q2 and Q3 is also found in certain sodium aluminosilicate glasses, but they change to Q2 and Q1 as the concentration of SiO2 decreases.

Dry sliding wear of A356-Al-SiCp composites

Aluminium alloy (A356)-SiC composites containing 15 and 25 wt.% silicon carbide particles (average size 43 μm) were tested for sliding wear at different loads using a pin on disc machine. Composites exhibited better wear resistance compared with unreinforced alloy up to a pressure of 26 MPa. Scanning electron microscopy examination of worn surfaces and subsurfaces show that the presence of dispersed SiC particles help in reducing the propensity of material flow at the surface, at the same time leading to the formation of an iron-rich layer on the surface.

Deformation processing map for control of microstructure in Al---4Mg alloy

The compression test flow stress data of Al-4Mg alloy at different temperatures and strain rates are analysed using a dynamic materials model which considers the workpiece material as a dissipator of power causing microstructural changes. A processing map representing the efficiency of power dissipation as a function of temperature and strain rate has been established and optimum processing conditions for the alloy are determined. The features of the map correlate well with the microstructure and mechanical properties.