• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.215-220
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• 2015

The effect of Al content on the processing of reaction-bonded $Al_2O_3$ (RBAO) ceramics using 40v/o ~ 80v/o Al-Zn-Mg alloy powder was studied in order to improve traditional RBAO ceramic processes that use ~ 40v/o pure Al powder. The influence of high Al content in starting $Al_2O_3$-Al alloy powder mixtures on its particulate characteristics, reaction-bonding, microstructure, physical and mechanical properties was revealed. Starting $Al_2O_3$-Al alloy powder mixtures with 40v/o ~ 80v/o Al alloy powder were milled, reaction-bonded, post-sintered, and characterized. With an increasing Al alloy content, the milling efficiency of Al alloy powder was lowered, resulting in a larger particle size after milling. However, in spite of the larger particle size of Al alloy powder, the oxidation, i.e., reaction-bonding, of the Al alloy was successfully completed via solid and liquid state oxidation, in which the activation energy of the oxidation was nearly the same regardless of Al alloy content. After reaction-bonding and post-sintering at $1600^{\circ}C$, RBAO ceramics from 80v/o Al alloy content showed a relative density of ~97% and a flexural strength of 251 MPa compared to ~ 96% and 353 MPa for RBAO ceramics from 40v/o Al alloy content, respectively. The lower flexural strength at 80v/o Al alloy content was due to the weak spinel phase that formed from Zn, Mg alloying elements in Al.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.574-579
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• 2013

The milling and particulate characteristics of Al alloy-$Al_2O_3$ powder mixtures for a reaction-bonded $Al_2O_3$ (RBAO) process were studied. A commercially available prealloyed Al powder with Zn, Mg, Cu and Cr alloying elements (7475 series) was mixed with a calcined sinter-active $Al_2O_3$ powder and then milled in centrifugal milling equipment for ~48 hrs. The Al alloy-$Al_2O_3$ powder mixtures after milling were characterized and evaluated in various ways to reveal their particulate characteristics during milling. The milling efficiency of the Al alloy increased with a longer milling time. Comminution of the Al alloy particles started with its elongation, showing a high aspect ratio. With a longer milling time, the elongated Al alloy particle changed in terms of its shape and size, becoming equiaxially fine particles. Regardless of the milling efficiency of the Al alloy particles, all of the Al alloy particles repeatedly experienced strong plastic deformation during milling, giving rise to higher density of surface defects, such as microcracks, and leading to higher residual microstress within the Al alloy particles. The chemical reactions, oxidation behavior and hydration behavior of the Al alloy particles and the hydrolysis characteristics of their reaction with the environment were also observed during the milling process and during the subsequent powder handling steps.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.236-242
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• 2014

Fabrication of reaction-bonded $Al_2O_3$ (RBAO) ceramics using Al-Zn-Mg alloy powder was studied in order to improve traditional RBAO ceramic processing using Al powder. The influence on reaction-bonding and microstructure, as well as on physical and mechanical properties, of the particulate characteristics of the $Al_2O_3$-Al alloy powder mixtures after milling, was revealed. Variation of the particulate characteristics of this $Al_2O_3$-Al alloy powder mixture with milling time was reported previously. To start, the $Al_2O_3$-Al alloy powder mixture was milled, reaction-bonded, post-sintered, and characterized. During reaction-bonding of the $Al_2O_3$-Al alloy powder mixture compacts, oxidation of the Al alloy took place in two stages, that is, there was solid- and liquid-state oxidation of the Al alloy. The solid-state oxidation exhibited strong dependence on the density of surface defects on the Al-alloy particles formed during milling. Higher milling efficiency resulted in less participation of the Al alloy in reaction-bonding. This was because of its consumption by chemical reactions during milling, and subsequent powder handling, and could be rather harmful in the case of over-milling. In contrast to very little dependence of oxidation of the Al alloy on its particle size after milling, the relative density, microstructure, and flexural strength were strongly dependent on particle size after milling (i.e., on milling efficiency). The relative density and 4-point flexural strength of the RBAO ceramics in this study were ~98% and ~365 MPa, respectively, after post-sintering at $1,600^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.157-162
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• 2001

An optimum route to fabricate the ferrous alloy dispersed $Al_2O_3$ nanocomposites such as $Al_2O_3$/Fe-Ni and $Al_2O_3$/Fe-Co with sound microstructure and desired properties was investigated. The composites were fabricated by the sintering of powder mixtures of $Al_2O_3$ and nano-sized ferrous alloy, in which the alloy was prepared by solution-chemistry routes using metal nitrates powders and a subsequent hydorgen reduction process. Microstructural observation of reduced powder mixture revealed that the Fe-Ni or Fe-Co alloy particles of about 20 nm in size homogeneously surrounded $Al_2O_3$, forming nanocomposite powder. The sintered $Al_2O_3$/Fe-Ni composite showed the formation of Fe$Al_2O_4$ phase, while the reaction phases were not observed in $Al_2O_3$/Fe-Co composite. Hot-pressed $Al_2O_3$/Fe-Ni composite showed improved mechanical properties and magnetic response. The properties are discussed in terms of microstructural characteristics such as the distribution and size of alloy particles.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.97-104
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• 2004

In this paper processing and mechanical properties of Al-20 wt％ Si alloy was studied. A bulk form of Al-20Si alloy was prepared by gas atomizing powders having the powder size of 106-145 ${\mu}m$ and powder extrusion. The powder extrudate was subsequently equal channel angular pressed up to 8 passes in order to refine grain and Si particle. The microstructure of the gas atomized powders, powder extrudates and equal channel angular pressed samples were investigated using a scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction. The mechanical properties of the bulk sample were measured by compressive tests and a micro Victors hardness test. Equal channel angular pressing was found to be effective in matrix grain and Si particle refinement, which enhanced the strength and hardness of the Al-2OSi alloy without deteriorating ductility in the range of experimental strain of 30％.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.92-98
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• 1996

Al-Fe alloy layers on heated steel sheet were made by Al powder spray for 30 minutes at $700^{\circ}C$, $800^{\circ}C$ and $1000^{\circ}C$, respectively. As a results, for alloy layers formed at $700^{\circ}C$ and $800^{\circ}C$, main phases were brittle phase $FeAl_3 and Fe_2Al_5$, hardnesses were very high (Hv 700~800), corrosion resistances were good and surfaces were smooth, but wear resistances were bad. For alloy layer formed at $1000^{\circ}C$, main phase was ductile phase $Fe_3Al$, hardness was low (Hv 300~400), corrosion and wear resistances were excellent, but surface was rough. Therefore, alloy layers that formed at $700^{\circ}C$ and $800^{\circ}C$ were heat treated at $1000^{\circ}C$ for 10 minutes for the purpose of smooth surface and excellent wear resistance in this study. It was investigated that brittle phase $FeAl_3 and Fe_2Al_5$ of alloy layers fromed by Al powder spray at $700^{\circ}C$ and $800^{\circ}C$ turn into ductile phase $Fe_3Al$ by heat treated at $1000^{\circ}C$ for 10 minutes without changing smooth surface. It was concluded that the alloy layers formed by Al powder spray on heated steel sheet at $700^{\circ}C$ and $800^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes and heat treated at $1000^{\circ}C$ for 10 minutes were excellent on wear and smooth surface.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.339-345
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• 2023

This study investigates the melting point and brazing properties of the aluminum (Al)-copper (Cu)-silicon (Si)-tin (Sn) alloy fabricated for low-temperature brazing based on the alloy design. Specifically, the Al-20Cu-10Si-Sn alloy is examined and confirmed to possess a melting point of approximately 520℃. Analysis of the melting point of the alloy based on composition reveals that the melting temperature tends to decrease with increasing Cu and Si content, along with a corresponding decrease as the Sn content rises. This study verifies that the Al-20Cu-10Si-5Sn alloy exhibits high liquidity and favorable mechanical properties for brazing through the joint gap filling test and Vickers hardness measurements. Additionally, a powder fabricated using the Al-20Cu-10Si-5Sn alloy demonstrates a melting point of around 515℃ following melting point analysis. Consequently, it is deemed highly suitable for use as a low-temperature Al brazing material.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 2002

Microstructural and mechanical characteristics of P/M 6061 Al alloy subjected to equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) were investigated. The P/M 6061 Al alloy had an intial grain size of approximately $20\mutextrm{m}$. An equiaxed ultra-fine grained structure with the mean grain size of $~50 \mutextrm{m}$ was obtained by four repetitive ECAP at 473 K. The microhardness of P/M 6061 Al alloy was drastically increased from about 40 Hv to 80 Hv by two repetitive ECAP at 373 K. However, the microhardness decreased with increasing ECAP temperature. The tensile stength of as-hot-pressed P/M 6061 Al alloy before ECAP was 95 MPa, whereas it increased to both 248 MPa after two repetitive ECAP at 373 K and 130 MPa after four repetitive ECAP at 473 K. The tensile properties of the ECAPed sample were compared with those of commercial cast 6061-O and 6061-T4 Al alloys.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2006.09b
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• pp.1000-1001
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• 2006

Two atomized alloy powders were pre-compacted by cold and subsequently hot forged at temperatures ranging from 653K to 845K. The addition of Cu and Mg causes a decrease in the eutectic reaction temperature of Al-10Si-5Fe-1Zr alloy from 841K to 786K and results in a decrease of flow stress at the given forging temperature. TEM observation revealed that in addition to Al-Fe based intermetallics, $Al_2Cu$ and $Al_2CuMg$ intermetallics appeared. The volume fraction of intermetallic dispersoids increased by the addition of Cu and Mg. Compressive strength of the present alloys was closely related to the volume fraction of intermetallic dispersoids.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.40-45
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• 2003

Sintering behavior of 2xxx series Al alloy was investigated to obtain full densification and sound microstructure. The commercial 2xxx series Al alloy powder. AMB2712, was used as a starting powder. The mixing powder was characterized by using particle size analyzer, SEM and XRD. The optimum compacting pressure was 200 MPa, which was the starting point of the "homogeneous deformation" stage. The powder compacts were sintered at $550~630^{\circ}C$ after burn-off process at $400^{\circ}C$. Swelling phenomenon caused by transient liquid phase sintering was observed below $590^{\circ}C$ of sintering temperature. At $610^{\circ}C$, sintering density was increased by effect of remained liquid phase. Further densification was not observed above $610^{\circ}C$. Therefore, it was determined that the optimum sintering temperature of AMB2712 powder was $610^{\circ}C$.}C$.