Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Microstructural investigation and thermodynamic calculations on the precipitation of Mg–Al–Zn–Sr alloys

  • Published:
Journal of Materials Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Microstructural investigation and thermodynamic simulation were carried out to study precipitation during the solidification of AZ31 Mg alloy containing up to 1wt% Sr. Increasing Sr content from 0.01 to 1 wt% led to the formation of an Al–Sr line compound (Al4Sr) and to the suppression of Al–Mg precipitate (β-Mg17Al12). Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) investigation and energy dispersive spectroscopic analysis on extracted precipitates revealed Mg and Zn solubility in the Al4Sr particles. It is shown that Sr content also affects the precipitation of Al–Mn precipitates. Thermodynamic calculations predict that the increase in Sr content limits the Al–Mn reaction and the precipitation of Al–Mn precipitates with low Al/Mn ratio. Microstructural investigations determined the presence of two Al–Mn precipitates (Al8Mn5 and AlMn), either in the form of large dendritic plates or small nano-scale particles in the Mg matrix. It has been calculated by the thermodynamic model and confirmed by TEM that by increasing the Sr content, solubility of Al solid decreases whereas the level of Mn increases slightly.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Table I
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. L. Koubichek: Effect of small additions of elements on grain size and the refinement of the mg4al3 [mg17al12] phase in ml5 alloy. Izv. Vyschikh. Outchebnykh Za Vedeny. Metallurgy of Non-Ferrous Metals, 6, (1959).

  2. H.W. King: Solid solution and intermetallic phases containing strontium, in International Conference on Strontium Containing Compounds, NRC, Ottawa, Canada, 1973, pp. 212–243.

    Google Scholar 

  3. C.A. Aliravci, J.E. Gruzleski, and F.C. Dimayuga: Effect of Strontium on the shrinkage microporosity in magnesium sand castings. AFS Trans. 92, (1992).

  4. M.O. Pekguleryuz and M.M. Avedesian: Magnesium Alloying—Some Metallurgical Aspects: Magnesium Alloys and Their Applications, edited by B.L. Mordike and F. Hehman (DGM, Germany, 1992), pp. 679–686.

  5. M. Pekguleryuz, E. Baril, P. Labelle, and D. Argo: Creep resistant Mg–Al–Sr alloys. J. Adv. Mat. 35(3), 32 (2003).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. M.O. Pekguleryuz and A.A. Kaya: Magnesium diecasting alloys for high temperature applications, in Magnesium Technology, edited by A. Luo (TMS, Charlotte, NC, 2004), pp. 281–287.

    Google Scholar 

  7. M. Kunst, A. Fischersworring-Bunka, G. L’Esperanceb, P. Plamondonb, and U. Glatzelc: Microstructure and dislocation analysis after creep deformation of die-cast Mg–Al–Sr (AJ) alloy. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 510–511 (2009).

    Google Scholar 

  8. E. Baril, P. Labelle, and M.O. Pekguleryuz: Elevated temperature Mg–Al–Sr: Creep resistance, mechanical properties and microstructure. JOM-US. 55(11), 34 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. M.O. Pekguleryuz and E. Baril: The minerals, metals and materials society, in Magnesium Technology 2001, edited by J.N. Hryn (TMS, Warrendale, PA, 2001).

    Google Scholar 

  10. B. Jing, S. Yangshan, X. Shan, X. Feng, and Z. Tianbai: Microstructure and tensile creep behavior of Mg–4Al based magnesium alloys with alkaline-earth elements Sr and Ca additions. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 419, 181 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. X. Zeng, Y. Wang, W. Ding, A.A. Luo, and A.K. Sachdev: Effect of strontium on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and fracture behavior of AZ31 magnesium alloy. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 37(4), 1073 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. P. Zhao, Q. Wang, C. Zhai, and Y. Zhu: Effects of strontium and titanium on the microstructure, tensile properties and creep behavior of AM50 alloys. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 444, 318 (2007).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. A. Sadeghi and M. Pekguleryuz: Precipitation during the solidification of Mg–3wt% Al–1wt% Zn–(0.001–1%) Sr alloys, in American Foundry Society Annual Congress, Orlando, USA, (2010), pp. 10–114.

    Google Scholar 

  14. S. Guan, S. Zhu, L. Wang, Q. Yang, and W. Cao: Microstructures and mechanical properties of double hot-extruded AZ80 + xSr wrought alloys. Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 17(6), 1143 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. B. Jing, S. Yangshan, X. Feng, X. Shan, Q. Jinga, and T. Weijianb: Effect of extrusion on microstructures, and mechanical and creep properties of Mg–Al–Sr and Mg–Al–Sr–Ca alloys. Scr. Mater. 55, 1163 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. A. Janz, J. Gröbner, D. Mirković, M. Medraj, and Y.A. Jun Zhu, R. Chang, and Schmid-Fetzer: Experimental study and thermodynamic calculation of Al–Mg–Sr phase equilibria. Intermetallics 15, 506 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. A. Janz, J. Gröbner, and R. Schmid-Fetzer: Thermodynamics and constitution of Mg–Al–Ca–Sr–Mn alloys—Part II—Procedure for multicomponent key sample selection and application to the Mg–Al–Ca–Sr and Mg–Al–Ca–Sr–Mn systems. J. Phase Equilib. Diffus. 30, 157 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. J.E. Gruzleski and A. Aliravci: Low Porosity, Fine-grain Sized Strontium Treated Magnesium Alloy Castings. U.S. Patent No. US005143564A (1992).

    Google Scholar 

  19. G. L’Esperance, P. Plamondon, M. Kunst, and A. Fischersworring-Bunk: Characterization of intermetallics in Mg–Al–Sr AJ62 alloys. Intermetallics 18, 1 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. S.F. Liu, B. Li, X.H. Wang, W. Su, and H. Han: Refinement effect of cerium, calcium and strontium in AZ91 magnesium alloy. J. Mater. Process. Technol. 209(8), 3999 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. A. Becerra and M. Pekguleryuz: Effects of lithium, indium and zinc on the grain size of magnesium. J. Mater. Res. 24(5), 1722 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. M.M. Avedesian and H. Baker: Magnesium and Magnesium Alloys (ASM International, Materials Park, OH, 1999).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

This study was carried out under a Strategic project grant from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and Applied Magnesium (formerly Timminco) with the industrial support and providing the raw materials and master alloy. We thank Scott Shook of Applied Magnesium for technical support. A. Sadeghi gratefully acknowledges the financial support of McGill University through McGill Engineering Doctoral Award program.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mining and Materials Science, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2B2, Canada

    Alireza Sadeghi & Mihriban Pekguleryuz

Authors
  1. Alireza Sadeghi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mihriban Pekguleryuz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sadeghi, A., Pekguleryuz, M. Microstructural investigation and thermodynamic calculations on the precipitation of Mg–Al–Zn–Sr alloys. Journal of Materials Research 26, 896–903 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2010.75

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2010.75

Search

Navigation