• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.265-269
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• 2009

The optimum RRA heat treating conditions and SCC (stress corrosion cracking) resistance of semi-solid Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy fabricated by inclined cooling plate were compared with those of conventional mould cast alloys. The non-stirring method characterized by using a cooling plate can effectively eliminate dendritic structure and form a fine globular semisolid microstructure in as-cast Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy and the SCC resistance of semi-solid Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy was higher than that of conventional mold cast alloy. Also, after retrogressed treatment at RRA heat treatment of semi-solid Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy, retrogressed treatment time has increased more than 10 minutes at $180^{\circ}C$ to recovery the T6 heat treatment strength.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.82-88
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• 2002

Al-5.5Zn-2.5Mg-l.5Cu semi-solid slurry was prepared by cooling the liquid metal with a low superheat to a solid and liquid co-existing temperature. Relatively round solid particles could be obtained in the slurry through the simple process. The prepared slurry was deformed into the metallic mold by a press and the mechanical properties of obtained specimens were investigated. Mold filling ability of the alloy slurry was also investigated and compared with that of A356 alloy. Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy showed lower mold filling ability than A356 alloy probably because small amount of eutectic phase is present and the heat of fusion generated during solidification is smaller than that of A356 alloy.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.213-219
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• 2009

Optimum conditions for production of semi-solid Al-Zn-Mg alloy billets was carried out by the Taguchi design method. And, Al-Zn-Mg alloy billets contained Sc (free, 0.1 and 0.3 mass %) were fabricated at optimum conditions. Evolution of microstructure in semi-solid state was investigated through various liquid fractions, holding times and holding temperatures. The Al-Zn-Mg alloy billets reheated at $615^{\circ}C$ during 30min are grain growth and it was fractured due to increasing liquid fraction before quenching. And, during reheating up to $600^{\circ}C$, grain growth of Al-Zn-Mg alloy billets contained Sc (0.1 and 0.3 mass %) was not occurred in comparison with those of Al-Zn-Mg alloy without Sc. It was thought that $Al_3Sc$ phases have a pinning effect in grain boundary and Sc content of 0.1 mass% is able to inhibit grain growth effectively through reheating process.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.87-93
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• 2014

Thixo-extrusion of semi-solid 7075 aluminum alloy and the mechanical properties of its extrudates were investigated. The semisolid alloy was prepared by a cooling slope cast. In other to perform thixo-extrusion, semi-solid 7075 aluminum alloy billets were reheated at the reheating conditions reported in a previous study. The maximum extrusion pressure in thixo-extrusion was 615MPa. This was lower than that of conventional hot extrusion ($P_{max}=940MPa$) at the same extrusion conditions due to the increased fluidity of the alloy billet in the semi-solid state. The values of Rockwell hardness (scale B) at the extrusion direction of the as thixoextruded bar were 48~53HRB and the difference in Rockwell hardness between the transverse direction and the extrusion direction was 5HRB or less. The results show that thxio-extrusion of semi-solid 7075 Al alloy improves the workability and anisotropic with the extrusion direction compared with hot extrusion of the conventional alloy.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.405-408
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• 2007

Semi-solid Al-Zn-Mg alloys were produced using a cooling plate method in order to investigate the extrudability. Al melt was poured on cooling plate which was adjusted at $60^{\circ}$ with respect to the horizontal plane, and the melt was cooled by water circulation underneath. Obtained Semi-solid feedstock has globular microstructure but also contains considerable amount of gas pore. Due to the pore, tensile elongation of the semi-solid feedstock was very low and it doesn't show yield point phenomenon. Isothermal hot extrusion was carried out using at $400^{\circ}C$ with a ram speed of 1mm/sec and an extrusion ratio of 25:1. The extruded bar show noticeably improved tensile ductility and strength because pore volume fraction decreased from 5% to 0.8% after extrusion. Mechanical properties of the semi-solid extruded bar were compared with that of commercial casting alloy..

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.16 no.5 s.95
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• pp.391-395
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• 2007

Semi-solid Al-Zn-Mg alloys were produced by using a cooling plate method in order to investigate the extrudability. Al melt was poured on cooling plate which was adjusted at $60^{\circ}$ with respect to the horizontal plane, and the melt was cooled by water circulation underneath. Obtained Semi-solid feedstock has globular microstructure but also contains considerable amount of gas pore. Due to the pore, tensile elongation of the semi-solid feedstock was very low and it doesn't show yield point phenomenon. Isothermal hot extrusion was carried out using at $400^{\circ}C$ with a ram speed of 1mm/sec and an extrusion ratio of 25:1. The extruded bar show noticeably improved tensile ductility and strength because pore volume fraction decreased from 5% to 0.8% after extrusion. Mechanical properties of the semi-solid extruded bar were compared with that of commercial casting alloy.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 1997.06a
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• pp.183-195
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• 1997

The micorstructural characteristics, particularly $\alpha$-halo formation, in semi-solid state processed hypereutectic Al-Si alloy was investigated. The microstructural changes during reheating of wedge type mold cast ingot, hot-rolled sheet, and Si particulate reinforced Al composite was compared with those occurred during stirring of semi-solid state hypereutectic alloy. In the case of semi-solid state reheating of wedge type ingot and hot-rolled sheet, fine particles of Si as well as $\alpha$-halo formed after heat treatment. Although there seemed to be no coarsening with variations of holding time, the region of $\alpha$-halo decreased due to homogenization. Nucleation and recrystallization was accelerated with the addition of alloying elements during hot rolling resulting in primary Si particle size decrease and $\alpha$-halo formation. In the case of extruded specimens, very little morphological change of reinforcing Si particles was observed. Almost no $\alpha$-halo formed during reheating because of the oxide film formed on the reinforcing Si particles which acted as a diffusion barrier between the matrix and the primary Si particles.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.556-564
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• 1996

Variation of shape and size of solid particles and solute redistribution in Mg-9wt.%Al, AI-4.5wt.% Cu, and AI-7wt.%Si alloys were investigated when they were heated to semi-solid temperatures and held without stirring. In the case of Mg-9wt.% Al and Al-4.5wt.%Cu alloys, the polygonal shaped solid particles were agglomerated with non-uniform distribution, and there were no disappearance of the solid/solid boundary until the end of melting. But in the case of an Al-7wt.%Si alloys, two or three spherical shaped particles were coalesced or separated individually, and the coalesced particles had no solid/solid interface on the contrary to the prevous case. The maximum size of solid particles during isothermal heating at high temperature was smaller than that at lower temperature, but the time required to reach the maximum size at high temperature was shorter than that at lower temperature. The concentrations of main solute atom whose distribution coefficient is lower than 1, decreased in the primary solid particles as the liquid fraction increased, and the gradient of solute concentration was steeper in Mg-9wt.%Al alloy and Al-4.5wt.%Cu alloy than that of Al-7wt.%Si alloy.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.374-381
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• 2004

In this study, the deformation behavior of semi-solid Al-Si alloy was investigated by nanoindenter as a part of the research on the surface crack behavior in thixoformed automobile component. The microstructure of semi-solid Al-Si alloy consists of primary and eutectic regions. In eutectic regions the crack initiation begins with initial fracture of the eutectic silicon particles and inside other intermetallic phases. Nano-deformation characteristics in the eutectic and primary phase of semi-solid aluminium alloy were investigated through the nano-indentation experiments and the AFM observation. In addition, mechanical properties of each region were investigated and compared with each other.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.248-258
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• 1993

A semi-solid alloy in which solid and liquid phase are co-existing is obtained by stirring of A17075 molten metal. A semi-solid alloy is dependent on the corresponding temperature within the solid-liquid range, and the process parameters should be controlled accurately to obtain the homogeneous semisolid alloy. The fabrication possibility of fiber-reinforced aluminum alloy containing $Al_2O_3$ short fibers with vigorous agitation of short fibers were obtained by control of stirring time, solid fraction and impeller speed in extrusion billet fabrication processes. The microstructure to extrusion billet fabricated by low pressure casting was investigated for fiber dispersion state. The relationship between the extrustion force and velocity at hot extrustion, the flow strain and extrusion ratio were theoretically described. The surface defects with lubricants and without lubricant after hot extrusion were investigated. The composites materials after hot extrusion were measured by vickers hardness with extrusion ratio. It has become clear that the secondary working such as hot extrusion was very useful to obtained improved the mechanical properties of metal matrix composites.