• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.223-229
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• 2023

This work was intended to investigate the effects of Zn content on microstructure and hardness of discontinuous precipitates (DPs) produced by continuous cooling (CC) in Mg-8%Al-X%Zn alloys with 0%, 0.5% and 1% of Zn contents (wt%). The DPs in the alloys possessed a wide range of (α+β) interlamellar spacings, which is attributed to the different transformation temperatures during CC. The higher Zn content resulted in the lower level of interlamellar spacings of the DPs, along with thinner and larger volume fraction of β phase layer in the DPs. It is noted that the DPs in the alloy with higher Zn content exhibited higher hardness, and that the ratio of increase in hardness of the DPs to that of the as-cast state was also increased with increasing Zn content. The reason was discussed on the basis of microstructural differences of the DPs in the Mg-8%Al-X%Zn alloys.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.100-105
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• 1997

In this study the changes of the hardness and microstructures during aging at 120$^{\cire}C$ of an RS-P/M Al-5.6wt%Zn-2.0wt%Mg-1.3wt%Zr-1.0wt%Mn-0.25wt%Cu alloy were studied using a transmission electron microscopy. The hardness increased rapidly at early stage of aging and reached the maximun when the specimen was aged for 24 hr. The many irregular-shaped $Al_4Mn$ and rod-shaped $Al_6Mn$ dispersoids with 0.1-0.4 $\mu$m in length were observed in the as-extruded alloy. The dark particles with 2-3 nm in size were observed in aged specimen for 5hr and those are thought to be G.P.zones or precursor of $\eta'$ precipitates. In aged specimen for 24 hr, the $\eta'$ phases were distributed homogeneously within the matrix and the PFZ with 30-40 nm in width was observed along the grain boundary. With further aging, the width of PFZ increased and $\eta$ phases were also detected within the matrix.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.533-542
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• 2010

The specific motivation for joining an Al alloy and Zn-coated steel arises from the need to save fuel consumption by weight reduction and to enhance the durability of vehicle structures in the automobile industry. In this study, the lap joining A6K31 Al alloy (top) and SGARC340 Zn-coated steel (bottom) sheets with a thickness of 1.0 mm and 0.8 mm, respectively, was carried out using the friction stir weld (FSW) technique. The probe of a tool did not contact the surface of the lower Zn-coated steel sheet. The friction stir welding was carried out at rotation speeds of 1500 rpm and travel speeds of 80~200 mm/min. The effects of tool geometry and welding speed on the mechanical properties and the structure of a joint were investigated. The tensile properties for the joints welded with a larger tool were better than those for the joints done with a smaller tool. A good correlation between the tensile load and area of the welded region were observed. The bond strength using a larger tool (M4 and M3) decreased with an increase in welding speed. Most fractures occurred along the interface between the Zn-coated steel and the Al alloy. However, in certain conditions with a lower welding speed, fractures occurred at the A6K31 Al alloy.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.317-322
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• 2009

Superplastic deformation behavior of a Zn-0.3 wt.% Al was investigated. Grain sizes of $1{\mu}m$ and $10{\mu}m$ were obtained by a thermomechanical treatment. A series of load relaxation and tensile tests were conducted at various temperatures ranging from RT ($24^{\circ}C$) to $200^{\circ}C$. A large elongation of 1400% was obtained at room temperature in the specimens with the grain size of $1{\mu}m$. In the case of specimens with the grain size of $10{\mu}m$, relatively lower elongation at room temperature was obtained and, as the temperature increases above $100^{\circ}C$, a high elongation of about 400 % has been obtained at $200^{\circ}C$ under the strain rate of $2{\times}10^{-4}/s$. Dynamic materials model (DMM) has been employed to explain the contribution from GBS of Zn-Al alloy. Power dissipation efficiency for GBS was evaluated as above 0.4 and found to be very close to the unity as strain rate decreased and temperature increased, suggesting that GBS could be regarded as Newtonian viscous flow.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.325-330
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• 2010

Many surface protection methods have been developed to apply for constructional steels used under severe corrosive environment. Thermal spray coating has been known to be an attractive technique due to its relatively high coating speed. Furthermore high corrosion resistance of coated film with thermal spray is required to expand its application. Four types of coated films(DFT:300 um) such as pure zinc, pure aluminum and two Al-Zn alloy (Al:Zn=85:15 and Al:Zn=95:5) onto the carbon steel (SS401) were prepared with arc spray, and the corrosion behavior of their samples were evaluated by electrochemical method in this study. Pure aluminum sample showed high corrosion resistance behavior exposed to sea water solution and pure zinc and alloy (Al:Zn=95:5) samples followed pure aluminum sample. The other alloy(Al:Zn=85:15) so called galvalume coated onto the carbon steel ranks the 4th corrosion resistance in this study. The results of porosity ratio of those samples by observation are well matched with the electrochemical data.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.187-197
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• 1996

In this study, the properties of coil spring made by Cu-Zn-Al and B added shape memory alloys are investigated. The measurement of recovery displacement and energy with increasing weight, and thermocycling properties have been studied using displacement measuring device. Transformation temperature and phase change by thermocycling have been also investigated by DSC and X-ray diffractometer. Grain size of the alloy is refined from 1.2mm to $400{\mu}m$ by 0.06wt% of B addition. The maximum recovery energy of the coil spring for B added alloy is larger than that of no B added alloy, it is because of grain refinement. And shape memory ability of the coil spring by thermocycling decrease with increasing thermocycling after thermocycle under load. The degradation of shape memory properties of coil spring by thermocycling is improved by B addition.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.104-112
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• 2024

Al-Zn-Mg-Si alloy coatings have been developed to inhibit corrosion of cold rolled steel sheets, and an understanding of the alloy system helps prevent coating defects. We used a Bridgman furnace to characterise the nature and formation mechanisms of the phases present in the quaternary system with 0.4 wt% Fe. In the directional solidification experiments we imposed steep temperature gradients and varied the pull rate. After the samples were quenched in the furnace, detailed characterization of the samples was carried out by electron microscopy (SEM/EDS). From the dT/dt vs T plots of the cooling curves of the alloys, the solidification path was determined to be $Liquid{\longrightarrow[80]^{544-558}}{\alpha}-Al{\longrightarrow[80]^{453-459}}Al/Mg_2Si{\longrightarrow[80]^{371-374}}Al/Zn{\longrightarrow[80]^{331-333}}Zn/mgZn_2$. The formation mechanisms of the Mg and Zn containing phases and their morphology was discussed together with the effects of the cooling rate. Key findings include the lengthening of the mushy zone in directionally solidified samples remelted against a positive temperature gradient, as well as an enrichening of the α-Al phase by Zn through remelting. Mg₂Si and other Si based phases were observed to adopt a much finer faceted microstructure in favour of a script-like microstructure when exposed to the higher cooling rate of coolant quenching.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.386-391
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• 2014

In the current study, Al-Mn-Zn alloys are strip-cast and used as the base alloy for the core of aluminum clad sheets used in automotive condenser fins. Transition elements such as Cu and Cr are added to the base core alloy in order to improve the properties of the clad sheets. The AA4343/Al-Mn-Zn-X(X: Cu, Cr)/AA4343 clad sheets are fabricated by roll bonding and further cold-rolled to a thickness of 0.08 mm. Clad sheets were intermediately annealed during cold rolling at $450^{\circ}C$ in order to obtain 40% reduction at the final thickness. Tensile strength and sag resistance of the clad sheets are improved by Cu additions to the core alloy, while corrosion resistance is also increased. Cr-additions to the clad sheets enhance sag resistance and provide low enough corrosion, although tensile strength is not improved. The effect of Cu and Cr additions on the properties of the clad sheets is elucidated by microstructural analysis.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.53-61
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• 2015

Effects of Zn addition on the microstructure and corrosion behavior of Mg-8%Al-(0-1)%Zn casting alloys were investigated. With increasing Zn content, the amount of ${\beta}(Mg_{17}Al_{12})$ phase increased, while ${\alpha}$-(Mg) dendritic cell size became reduced. The corrosion rate decreased continuously with the increase in the Zn content. The evaluation of the microstructural evolution indicates that the improved barrier effect of ${\beta}$ particles formed more continuously along the dendritic cell boundaries and the incorporation of more ZnO into the surface corrosion product, by which the absorption of $Cl^-$ ions is impeded, are responsible for the better corrosion resistance in relation to the Zn addition.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.460-466
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• 2014

Al-Si-SiC composite powders with intra-granular SiC particles were prepared by a gas atomization process. The composite powders were mixed with Al-Zn-Mg alloy powders as a function of weight percent. Those mixture powders were compacted with the pressure of 700 MPa and then sintered at the temperature of $565-585^{\circ}C$. T6 heat treatment was conducted to increase their mechanical properties by solid-solution precipitates. Each relative density according to the optimized sintering temperature of those powders were determined as 96% at $580^{\circ}C$ for Al-Zn-Mg powders (composition A), 97.9% at $575^{\circ}C$ for Al-Zn-Mg powders with 5 wt.% of Al-Si-SiC powders (composition B), and 98.2% at $570^{\circ}C$ for Al-Zn-Mg powders with 10 wt.% of Al-Si-SiC powders (composition C), respectively. Each hardness, tensile strength, and wear resistance test of those sintered samples was conducted. As the content of Al-Si-SiC powders increased, both hardness and tensile strength were decreased. However, wear resistance was increased by the increase of Al-Si-SiC powders. From these results, it was confirmed that Al-Si-SiC/Al-Zn-Mg composite could be highly densified by the sintering process, and thus the composite could have high wear resistance and tensile strength when the content of Al-Si-SiC composite powders were optimized.