This study investigated the effect of Pd on the microstructure, tensile and creep properties of Mg-4Al-2Sn (AT42) alloy at a high temperature for transportation-related industrial applications. AT42-xPd (x = 0, 1 and 2 wt. %) alloys were prepared using a permanent mould casting method. The microstructures of the as-cast alloys were characterized by the presence of the intermetallic phases $Mg_{17}Al_{12}$, $Mg_2Sn$ and $Al_4Pd$. The addition of Pd was found to improve the tensile properties of AT42 at room and at elevated temperatures, and to increase the creep resistance at elevated temperatures. A small amount of Pd could markedly improve the tensile properties of AT42 by means of grain-refinement and the dispersion of secondary phase strengthening. Moreover, the thermally stable phase $Al_4Pd$ effectively improves the creep resistance of AT42 due to the strengthened grain boundaries and the suppressed formation of $Mg_{17}Al_{12}$.

In this study, we investigated the effect of the Si content on the secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS) of hypoeutectic Al-Si binary alloys in the range of 4~10 wt% Si. Cooling curves were measured during the solidification of the alloy cast in a step-wise mold. We compared two kinds of solidification time: the first is the total solidification time for both dendritic and eutectic growth, and the second is the solidification time for only dendritic growth. The proportional constant in the relationship between SDAS and cooling rate was estimated, as this constant represents the stability of the cast microstructure. The proportional constant decreased with the Si contents from 4 wt% to 8 wt%, and it remains relatively uniform with up to 10 wt% of Si.

The aim of this research is to evaluate the wear properties of (TiB+TiC) paticulate reinforced titanium matrix composites (TMCs) by in-situ synthesis. Different particle sizes (1500, $150{\mu}m$) and contents (0.94, 1.88 and 3.76 mass% for Ti, 1.98 and 3.96 mass% for the Ti6Al4V alloy) of boron carbide were added to pure titanium and to a Ti6Al4V alloy matrix during vacuum induction melting to provide 5, 10 and 20 vol.% (TiB+TiC) particulate reinforcement amounts. The wear behavior of the (TiB+TiC) particulate reinforced TMCs is described in detail with regard to the coefficient of friction, the hardness, and the degree of reinforcement fragmentation during sliding wear. The worn surfaces of each sliding wear condition are shown for the three types of wear studied here: transfer layer wear, particle cohesion wear and the development of abrasive areas. The fine reinforcements of TMCs were easily fragmented from the Ti matrix as compared to coarse reinforcements, and fragmented debris accelerated the decrease in the wear resistance.