Microstructural characterisation and thermal stability of an Mg-Al-Sr alloy prepared by rheo-diecasting

Abstract

A commercial Mg-6Al-2Sr (AJ62) alloy has been prepared by a semisolid rheo-diecasting (RDC) process. The microstructure of the RDC alloy exhibits typical semisolid solidification features, i.e., 8.4 vol% primary α-Mg globules (23 μm in diameter), formed in the slurry maker at the primary solidification stage, uniformly distributed in the matrix of fine α-Mg grain size (8.2 μm) and intergranular eutectic Al4Sr lamellae, which resulted from secondary solidification inside the die. A ternary Mg-Al-Sr phase was also observed. Heat treatment revealed the extreme thermal stability of the RDC AJ62 alloy. The hardness showed little change up to 12 hours at 450°C, whilst the Al4Sr eutectic lamellae were broken up, spheroidised and coarsened during the annealing. The RDC alloy offers superior mechanical properties, especially ductility, over the same alloy produced by high pressure die-casting.