• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.10
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• pp.3398-3405
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• 2021

This study observed the effect of neutron irradiation and ageing on the microstructure, hardness, and corrosion resistance of SAV-1 (Al-Mg-Si) alloy. The investigated material was irradiated with neutrons to fluences of 10²¹-10²⁶ n/m² in the WWR-K research reactor and kept in dry storage. Long-term irradiation led to an increase in hardness of the alloy and a deterioration of pitting corrosion resistance. Post-irradiation ageing for 1 h at 100-300 ℃ resulted in a decrease in microhardness of the irradiated SAV-1. The effect of post-irradiation ageing on pitting corrosion was made clear through the formation of Guinier-Preston zones and secondary precipitates in the Al matrix. Ageing at 250 ℃ corresponded to the development of stable microstructure and the highest corrosion resistance for the irradiated samples. Mg₂Si, Si, and needle-shaped β" precipitates were formed in SAV-1 alloy that was irradiated with low fluences. β" and clusters of rod-shaped B-type precipitates were observed in highly irradiated samples. The precipitates were similar to those seen in non-irradiated pseudo-binary Al-Mg₂Si alloys with Si excess.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.704-709
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• 2021

In the flux used in the batch galvanizing process, the effect of the component ratio of NH₄Cl to ZnCl₂ on the microstructure, coating adhesion, and corrosion resistance of Zn-Mg-Al ternary alloy-coated steel is evaluated. Many defects such as cracks and bare spots are formed inside the Zn-Mg-Al coating layer during treatment with the flux composition generally used for Zn coating. Deterioration of the coating property is due to the formation of AlCl_x mixture generated by the reaction of Al element and chloride in the flux. The coatability of the Zn-Mg-Al alloy coating is improved by increasing the content of ZnCl₂ in the flux to reduce the amount of chlorine reacting with Al while maintaining the flux effect and the coating adhesion is improved as the component ratio of NH₄Cl to ZnCl₂ decreases. Zn-Mg-Al alloy-coated steel products treated with the optimized flux composition of NH₄Cl·3ZnCl₂ show superior corrosion resistance compared to Zn-coated steel products, even with a coating weight of 60 %.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.5-15
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• 2021

The effects of heat treatments (T6 and T73) on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and high cycle fatigue behavior of modified AA7075 alloys were investigated. A modified 7075 alloy was manufactured using modified-Mg (Mg-Al2Ca) instead of the conventional element Mg. Based on the microstructure, the average grain size was 4.5 ㎛ (T6) and 5.2 ㎛ (T73). Regardless of heat treatment, the modified AA7075 alloys consisted of Al matrix containing homogeneously distributed Al2CuMg and MgZn2 phases with reduced Fe-intermetallic compound. Room temperature tensile tests showed that the properties of modified 7075-T6 (Y.S.: 622MPa, T.S: 675MPa, elongation: 15.4%) were superior to those of T73 alloy (Y.S.: 492MPa, T.S: 548MPa, elongation: 12.8%). Experimental data show that the fatigue life of T6 was 400 MPa, about 64% of its yield strength. However, the fatigue life of T73 alloy was 330 MPa and 67%. Irrespective of the stress level, all crack initiation points were located on the specimen surface, and no inclusions acting as stress concentrators were seen. Superior mechanical properties and high cycle fatigue behavior of modified AA7075-T6 alloy are attributed to the fine grains and homogeneous distribution of small second phases such as MgZn2 and Al2CuMg, in addition to reduced Fe-intermetallic compounds.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.528-534
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• 2021

To confirm effects of natural and artificial aging of precipitate on thermal diffusivity and hardness, the studied Al-Mg-Si alloy were manufactured by gravity casting method with 0.6 wt% and 1.0 wt% additional Cu element. The samples were used for measuring thermal diffusivity and hardness. The addition of Cu, promoted by intermediates such as Q'' and θ'' phases, contributing to the improvement of hardness and high-temperature thermal diffusivity. The natural aging decreased the hardness of the Al-Mg-Si-Cu alloys with increasing time, but did not affect the thermal diffusivity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.218-218
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• 2009

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.475-483
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• 2021

Additively manufactured titanium alloy is one of the promising materials in advanced medical industries. However, these additively manufactured alloys show corrosion properties different from those of conventional materials due to their unique microstructure. In this study, the effect of surface roughness and masking conditions on the results of the potentiodynamic polarization tests on additively manufactured or conventional Ti-6Al-4V alloys in artificial saliva solution with or without fluoride was investigated. The results showed that the corrosion potential was slightly lower with a flat cell with an O-ring than with masking tape. The corrosion rate was decreased with decreases in the surface roughness. Localized corrosion involving delamination of the surface layer occurred at 7 ~ 9 V (SSC) on the additively manufactured alloy in solution with or without fluoride when the samples were finished with 1000-grit SiC paper, whereas localized corrosion was not observed in the specimens finished with 1-㎛ alumina paste.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.155-158
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• 2012

In this work, AlON-$Al_2O_3$ coatings were prepared on Al2021 alloy by the electrolytic plasma processing (EPP) method. The experimental electrolytes include: 2 g/l NaOH as the electrolytic conductive agent, 10 g/l $Na_2AlO_2$ as the alumina formative agent, and 0.5 g/l $NaNO_2$, $NaNO_3$, and $NH_4NO_3$ as the nitride inducing agents. The effects of different nitrogen inducing agents were studied by a combined compositional and structural analyses of the ceramic coatings carried out by Xray diffractometry (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for the specimens EPP-treated at room temperature for 15 min under a hybrid voltage of 260 DC along with an AC 50 Hz power supply (200 V). Microhardness tests and wear tests were carried out to correlate the evolution of the microstructure and the resulting mechanical properties. Potentiodynamic polarizations and immersion corrosion tests were carried out in 3.5wt% NaCl water solutions under static conditions in order to evaluate the corrosion behavior of the coated samples. The results demonstrate that $NaNO_2$ is proven to be a good nitrogen inducing agent to produce high quality AlON-$Al_2O_3$ ceramic coatings.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.38-42
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• 2021

In this study, high temperature wetting analysis and AZ80/Ti interfacial structure observation are performed for the mixture of AZ80 and Ti, and the effect of Al on wetting in Mg alloy is examined. Both molten AZ80 and pure Mg have excellent wettability because the wet angle between molten droplets and the Ti substrate is about 10° from initial contact. Wetting angle decreases with time, and wetting phenomenon continues between droplets and substrate; the change in wetting angle does not show a significant difference when comparing AZ80-Ti and Mg-Ti. As a result of XRD of the lower surface of the AZ80-Ti sample, in addition to the Ti peak of the substrate, the peak of TiAl3, which is a Ti-Al intermetallic compound, is confirmed, and TiAl3 is generated in the Al enrichment region of the Ti substrate surface. EDS analysis is performed on the droplet tip portion of the sample section in which pure Mg droplets are dropped on the Ti substrate. Concentration of oxygen by the natural oxide film is not confirmed on the Ti surface, but oxygen is distributed at the tip of the droplet on the Mg side. Molten AZ80 and Ti-based compound phases are produced by thickening of Al in the vicinity of Ti after wetting is completed, and Al in the Mg alloy does not affect the wetting. The driving force of wetting progression is a thermite reaction that occurs between Mg and TiO2, and then Al in AZ80 thickens on the Ti substrate interface to form an intermetallic compound.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.419-433
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• 2021

Al-Si-Cu alloys benefit from the addition of copper for better hardness and strength through precipitation hardening, which results in remarkably strong alloys. However, the addition of copper expands the solidification range of Al-Si-Cu alloys, and due to this, these alloys become more prone to hot tearing, which is one of the most common and serious fracture phenomena encountered during solidification. The conventional evaluation method of the hot tearing properties of an alloy is a relative and qualitative analysis approach that does not provide quantitative data about this phenomenon. In the present study, the mold itself part of a device developed in Instone et al. was partially modified to obtain more reliable quantitative data pertaining to the hot tearing properties of an Al-Si-Cu casting alloy. To assess the influence of Cu element, four levels of Cu contents were tested (0.5, 1.0, 3.0, and 5.0 wt.%) in the Al-Si-Cu system alloy and the hot tearing properties were evaluated in each case. As the Cu content was increased, the hot tearing strength decreased to 2.26, 1.53, 1.18, and 1.04 MPa, respectively. At the moment hot tearing occurred, the corresponding solid fraction and solidification rate decreased at the same temperature due to the increase in the solid-liquid coexistence range as the Cu content increased. The morphology of the fracture surfaces was changed from dendrites to dendrites covered with residual liquid, and CuAl₂ phases were observed in the vicinity of hot tearing.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.52-59
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• 2021

Titanium alloy (Ti-alloy) is widely used as a material for core parts of aircraft structures and engines that require both lightweight and heat-resistant properties owing to their high specific stiffness. Most parts used in aircraft have I-, L-, and H-shaped thin-walled structures for weight reduction. It is difficult to machine thin-walled structures owing to vibrations and deformations during machining. In particular, cutting tool damage occurs in the corners of thin-walled structures owing to the rapid increase in cutting force and vibration, and machining quality deteriorates because of deep tool marks on machined surfaces. In this study, milling experiments were performed to derive an effective method for machining a L-shaped thin-walled structure with Ti-alloy (Ti-6Al-4V). Three types of machining experiment were performed. The surface quality, tool wear, cutting force, and vibration were analyzed comprehensively, and an effective machining method in terms of tool life and machining quality was derived.