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Directional Solidification and Microsegregation in a Magnesium-Aluminum-Calcium Alloy

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Abstract

Creep-resistant Mg-4Al-4Ca (AX44) alloy was solidified under different growth/cooling rates using a directional solidification (DS) technique. The solidification behavior and microsegregation of the alloying elements in the castings was investigated. Computational thermodynamics calculations of phase equilibria and experimental observations confirm that the solidification microstructure in this alloy consists of α-Mg, C36-(Mg,Al)2Ca, and C14-Mg2Ca phases. A relationship was established between the primary dendrite arm spacing and the cooling rate, which can be used to predict mechanical properties such as yield strength and creep. The microsegregation of alloying elements (Al and Ca) predicted by the Scheil model in AX44 agrees well with the electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) measurements, suggesting that the Scheil model can be used in microstructure simulation of magnesium castings.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support by the National Ministry of Science and Technology (Grant Nos. 2007CB613703 and 2009AA03Z521) and the Shanghai Rising-Star Program (A type, 09QA1403100) are gratefully acknowledged. Professor Austin Chang, University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW-Madison), is acknowledged for providing access to the directional solidification apparatus at UW-Madison and for many helpful discussions. It is a pity he passed away before we completed this work. Dr. Anil Sachdev, GM R&D, provided constructive suggestions and Mr. Chao Shen, UW-Madison, assisted in the DS experiments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Engineering Research Centre of Light Alloy Net Forming, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200240, People’s Republic of China

    Xingwei Zheng (Postdoctoral Candidate) & Jie Dong (Associate Professor)

  2. General Motors Global Research and Development Center, Warren, MI, 48090-9055, USA

    Alan A. Luo (GM Technical Fellow) & Richard A. Waldo (Staff Researcher)

  3. CompuTherm LLC, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    Chuan Zhang (Materials Scientist)

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  1. Xingwei Zheng
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  2. Alan A. Luo
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  3. Chuan Zhang
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  4. Jie Dong
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  5. Richard A. Waldo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alan A. Luo.

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Manuscript submitted October 11, 2011.

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Zheng, X., Luo, A.A., Zhang, C. et al. Directional Solidification and Microsegregation in a Magnesium-Aluminum-Calcium Alloy. Metall Mater Trans A 43, 3239–3248 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-012-1159-8

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