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Deformation, Cracking and Fracture Behavior of Dynamically-Formed Oxide Layers on Molten Metals

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Abstract

This study investigates the cracking behavior of oxide layers formed on molten metals and alloys including pure zinc, Zn–4 wt%Al (ZAMAK3) and Al–(0.5–2) wt%Ca in dynamic oxidation condition by injecting gas bubbles into the molten metal during the pouring process. The crack characteristics of the oxide layers were studied using a field emission scanning electron microscope. The results show that various stresses initiated from turbulence flow in the molten metal promote the deformation of the oxide layer, particularly at the initial stages of oxidation. Different coefficients of thermal expansion of the oxide layers and the metals can also result in deformation/cracking the oxide layers. Simultaneous aspiration of the molten metal and solidification phenomenon within the casting process may lead to various morphological changes, e.g. folded-, wrinkled- and cracked-oxide layers. In addition, a splitting and reforming phenomenon of multiple oxide layers is observed, called as strips of ‘ruffled tape’. An illustrative mechanism is suggested and discussed quantitatively for the formation of such phenomena. It is assumed that the unique appearance of these strips depends on the formation time and complex stress gradients on the oxide layers.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Prof. John Campbell (University of Birmingham) for his valuable comments. Moreover, we are also grateful to Hafez Amani (Ph.D. candidate at Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran) for his assistance on simulation study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, 1684613114, Iran

    Mehdi Mehrabian

  2. Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran, 15875–4413, Iran

    Behzad Nayebi & Elham Ahounbar

  3. School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 11155-4563, Tehran, Iran

    Ahmad Bahmani

  4. Materials and Surface Engineering Group, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09107, Chemnitz, Germany

    Dagmar Dietrich & Thomas Lampke

  5. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea

    Mohammadreza Shokouhimehr

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  1. Mehdi Mehrabian
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Correspondence to Behzad Nayebi or Mohammadreza Shokouhimehr.

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Mehrabian, M., Nayebi, B., Bahmani, A. et al. Deformation, Cracking and Fracture Behavior of Dynamically-Formed Oxide Layers on Molten Metals. Met. Mater. Int. 27, 1701–1712 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12540-019-00537-3

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