• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.432-438
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• 2017

AZ91D casting alloy requires an advanced plasma anodizing processing because large amount of defects are liable to generate during anodization. In this study, plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) of AZ91D Mg alloy was conducted by the application of either constant voltage or current using a pulse mode and its effects on pore formation, surface roughness and corrosion resistance were investigated. The PEO films showed a three-layer structure. The PEO film thickness was found to increase linearly with voltage. The surface roughness, Ra, ranged between $0.2{\mu}m$ and $0.3{\mu}m$. The corrosion resistance increased from RN 3.5 to 9.5 by the PEO treatment when evaluated according to the 72 hour salt spray test. The PEO-treated surface exhibited higher pitting potential than the raw material.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.224-230
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• 2010

To prevent oxidation of Mg melt, $SF_6$ gas has been generally used for Mg alloys during melting and casting as a cover gas. The use of $SF_6$ gas, however, will be restricted owing to its crucial impact on global warming. Non-$SF_6$ process during melting and casting in diecasting industry has been proved with Eco-Mg alloys by a simple addition of small amount of CaO into Mg alloys. This paper shows non-$SF_6$ diecasting procedures for 0.7wt% CaO added AZ91D Eco-Mg alloys. Cold-chamber diecasting was performed under $CO_2$ atmosphere without $SF_6$ gas. An increment of mechanical properties, especially strength and ductility of Eco-Mg alloys is, in part, due to high-quality melt, refined grain size and $Al_2Ca$ second phase strengthening. Microstructures and mechanical properties of 0.7wt% CaO added AZ91D Eco-Mg alloys are evaluated in comparison with those of conventional AZ91D Mg alloy.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.231-236
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the microstructural characteristics and hardness distribution of AZ91 magnesium alloy furnace-cooled to room temperature after solution treatment, and to compare the results with those of as-cast condition. The as-cast alloy showed a partially divorced eutectic ${\beta}(Mg_{17}Al_{12})$ phase and discontinuous precipitates (DPs) with a lamellar morphology, while only DPs were observed in the furnace-cooled alloy. The DPs in the furnace-cooled AZ91 alloy had various apparent interlamellar spacings, which would be ascribed to the different transformation temperatures during the furnace cooling. The average hardness for the furnace-cooled alloy is similar to that for the as-cast alloy. It is interesting to note that the hardness values of the furnace-cooled alloy were distributed over a narrower range than those of the as-cast alloy. This is likely to be caused by the relatively more homogeneous microstructure of the furnace-cooled alloy in comparison with the ascast one.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.220-230
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• 2018

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of solution treatment on the microstructure and corrosion behavior of cast AZ91-4%RE magnesium alloy. In the as-cast state, microstructure of the AZ91-4%RE alloy was characterized by intermetallic ${\beta}(Mg_{17}Al_{12})$, $Al_{11}RE_3$ and $Al_2RE$ phase particles distributed in ${\alpha}-(Mg)$ matrix. After solution treatment, the ${\beta}$ particles with low melting point dissolved into the matrix, but Al-RE phases still remained due to their high thermal stabilities. It was found from the immersion and potentiodynamic polarization tests that corrosion rate of the AZ91-4%RE alloy increased after the solution treatment. On the contrary, EIS tests and EDS compositional analyses on the surface corrosion products indicated that the stability of the corrosion product was improved after the solution treatment. Examinations on the corroded microstructures for the ascast and solution-treated samples revealed that dissolution of the ${\beta}$ particles which play a beneficial role in suppressing corrosion propagation, would be responsible for the deterioration of corrosion resistance after the solution treatment. This result implies that the microstructural features such as amount, size and distribution of secondary phases that determine corrosion mechanism, are more influential on the corrosion rate in comparison with the stability of surface corrosion product.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.283-283
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• 1999

In the present study, the effect of microporosity on the tensile properties of as-cast AZ91D magnesium alloy was investigated through experimental observation and numerical prediction. The test specimens were fabricated by die-casting and gravity-casting. For gravity-casting, the inoculation and use of various metallic moulds were applied to obtain a wide range of microporosity. The deficiency of the interdendritic feeding of the liquid phase acted as d dominant mechanism on the formation of the micropores in the Mg-Al-alloys, rather than the evolution of hydrogen gas. Although tensile strength and elongation has a nonlinear and very intensive dependence upon microporosity, the yield strength appeared to have a linear relationship with microporosity. However, it was possible to quantitatively estimate the linear contribution of microporosity on the individual tensile property far a range of microporosity, which was below about B %. The numerical prediction suggests that the effect of microporosity on fractured strength and elongation decreased as the strain hardening exponent increased. Furthermore. the shape and distribution of micropores may play a more dominant role than local plastic deformation on the tensile behavior of AZ9lD alloy.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.9 no.7
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• pp.715-723
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• 1999

Magnesium has been used as wheel materials in the automotive industry for more than 20 years. The magnesium wheels, which are lighter by 25% than aluminum wheels, provide easy controllability providing excellent road holding by the reduction of weight. The purpose of this work is to develop cast AZ91D alloy wheel by sand cast and permanent mold cast. The fluxless melting with the protective gas $(SF_6+CO_2)$ was Performed to eliminate oxidation of melt and impurity. The transfer of molten magnesium to the mold was done by using gas-pressurized Pump system through the heated pipe. The mechanical properites of AZ91D alloy wheel were investigated as a function of heat treatment, ingot composition.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.62-65
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• 2008

Extrusion characteristics of Mg alloys were studied experimentally. The Al-Zn-Mg alloys, AZ31, AZ6l, AZ80, and AZ91 were extruded with hot hydrostatic extrusion process. The hydrostatic process was efficient to reduce surface friction and extend steady state region in extrusion which made it more convenient to examine deformation behavior of the alloys avoiding the disturbance caused by temporary contact state between billet and die, and billet and container. High pressure was cooperative to expand forming limit of the alloys which were applied on the billet during the extrusion process. Extrusion limits were traced in temperature and extrusion speed domain with changing composition of the alloying elements. Effects of process parameters on extrusion load and microstructure evolution were investigated also.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.657-663
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• 2019

In this work, we study physical and mechanical properties of oxide films formed on AZ91D magnesium alloy by plasma anodization at different temperatures. It is found that the higher the electrolyte temperature, the lower is the breakdown voltage of oxide layer. This is probably because films formed at higher temperatures are thinner and denser. Moreover, electrolyte temperature plays an important role in the physical properties of the films. As the electrolyte temperature increases from 20 to $50^{\circ}C$, the hardness of the oxide layer increases. Friction test against steel balls indicates that wear scars become narrower for films formed at higher temperatures because the films are harder, as indicated by the Vickers hardness. The thinner and denser nature of the oxide film formed at $50^{\circ}C$ is also advantageous for heat transfer when film is used as a heat sink. Laser flash test results show very fast heat transfer for AZ91D with plasma anodized oxide layer formed at higher temperatures.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.112-115
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• 2013

One of the most important characteristics of Mg alloys is the high ratio of strength to weight. This is why there is a high demand for applications with these alloys in the transportation industries to reduce the fuel consumption and to save energy. In addition, magnesium (and its alloys) is of considerable interest as a structural material, especially in the aerospace and automotive industries thanks to its low density. However, its major drawback is its high sensitivity to corrosion. Therefore, its use requires the application of a surface treatment. This study used a die-casted AZ91D Mg alloyand all the samples were annealed (in $120^{\circ}C$). The surface microstructure and phase distribution in thin-walled AZ91D magnesium components cast on a hot-chamber die-casting machine were investigated by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The reflectance differences in the bulk state comparison with the annealing state are caused by hydrogenation presence of the Mg layer under an oxidation surface layer.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.516-521
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• 2002

A study was carried out to grow an understanding of the microstructural development of friction stir welds on an AZ91D magnesium alloy, and to evaluate the mechanical properties of the welds. AZ91D plates with the thickness of 4mm were used, and the microstructural development of the weld zone was investigated using optical and scanning electron microscopes. Square butt welding joint with good quality was obtained at the conditions of under 187mm/min of travel speed with 1100 to 1250 rpm of tool rotation speed. The microstructure within the weld region consisted of fine equiaxed grains with no evidence of the original dendritic structure. The hardness tests showed slightly increased harness in the weld region, and the minimum hardness measured is in that of the parent material. Tensile strength of the weld zone was remarkably improved due to very fine recrystallized structure. XRD pattern of weld zone revealed the removal of $\beta$ intermetallic compounds, $Mg_{17}$Al$_{12}$, which had been distributed in the base metal.l.