Screw Gradient Continuous Casting and High-Throughput Characterization of Aluminum alloy and Magnesium Alloy Rods

Jingyuan Li*, Mingfan Qi, Yuzhao Xu, Zhumabieke Wulabieke

School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083

ABSTRACT: High-throughput preparation is the core of high-throughput experimental technology, and it is an important method and means to carry out experimental verification and obtain massive data in material genetic engineering. In this paper, a new method of high-throughput preparation of alloy materials by common smelting casting method-spiral gradient continuous casting high-throughput preparation technology was introduced. With this method, the preparation and preliminary exploration of alloy bars with Al-Zn, Al-Mg, Al-Zn-Mg, Al-Zn-Mg-Cu systems have been completed. Optical microscope, OPA-100 metal in-situ analyzer, micro-beam X-ray fluorescence in-situ statistical analysis system, in-situ continuous indentation high-throughput hardness tester/conventional microhardness tester, conductivity analyzer, spalling corrosion test, multi-channel electrochemical impedance, composition detection, microstructure observation, hardness, conductivity and corrosion resistance of as-cast, homogenized and aged alloys with different compositions were carried out. Compared with commercial alloys, the feasibility and repeatability of the method were verified. On this basis, the preparation of aluminum alloy and magnesium alloy was carried out by spiral gradient continuous casting equipment. At present, Al-2/4/8Mg-(0~4)Mn, Al-7.2Si-0.5Fe-(0~2)Mg,Al-6.9Si-0.3Fe-(0~0.4)Sc,Al-10Si-(0~1.5)Zn-0.4Mg-0.3Mn, Al-5.5Mg-0.7Mn- (0~3)Cu, Mg-2Zn-(0.5~3)Sn, Mg-2Zn-(0~5)Sn-(0~3.5)Ca and other gradient bars were prepared and heat treated. The chemical composition, microstructure, hardness, electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance of alloy bars in different states were characterized by high-throughput according to the above method The influence of alloy elements on the microstructure and properties of alloy was explored, and finally the components meeting the performance requirements were screened out. At the same time, the results obtained by high-throughput preparation and characterization will provide a large amount of data for the research of material genetic engineering database, data mining, machine learning and so on.

On basis of existing research, the preparation and characterization of multi-component alloy/high entropy alloy were preliminarily attempted, and the microstructure and properties of Zn-Al-Mg-Sn-Cu and Al-Si-Mg-Zn-Cu multi-component alloys were explored. In the future, through further improvement, optimization and exploration, it is expected to realize high-throughput preparation of all kinds of new material samples, such as conventional alloy, microalloy, high entropy alloy, superalloy, steel, resin, glass, particle reinforced composites, etc., and realize rapid discovery, screening and performance optimization of multi-component new alloy material system by combining high-throughput experimental characterization technology.

Keywords: spiral gradient continuous casting, High throughput characterization, Aluminum alloy, Magnesium alloy