AZ91D magnesium alloy chips, which were directly collected on the spot of machining process, were recycled to prepare billet via hot pressing for semi-solid processing. The semi-solid microstructure evolution of the billet during reheating was investigated. The results indicate that there are three stages during reheating to semi-solid state: the dissolution of Mg17Al12 and diffusion of Al into α-Mg matrix, the melting of the region with high content of solute and formation of isolated solid particles, and spheroidization and growth of solid particles. Meanwhile, a number of entrapped liquid droplets form within solid particles. In addition, the number and size of entrapped liquid droplets rely on the holding time in the semi-solid temperature range. With increasing isothermal holding time, the solid fraction remains unchanged when the solid-liquid system reaches the dynamic equilibrium at last, while the solid particles become more globular and the average size of solid particles increases owing to the decreasing of interfacial energy and the effect of interfacial tension.
A large number of scraps are produced in the fabrication process of magnesium alloy products. It is necessary to recycle these scraps for the development and scale application of magnesium alloys. In this research,a method for recycling AZ91D magnesium alloy scraps fabricated by hot-press / extrusion was studied. Mechanical properties and microstructure of the recycled specimens were investigated. Microstructural analyses were performed by using the techniques of optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Microstructural observations reveal that the recycled specimens consisted of fine grains when adopting the extrusion temperature of 400- 450 ℃,the extrusion ratio of( 25- 100) ∶ 1 and the extrusion rate of 0. 10- 0. 20 mm / s. Ultimate tensile strength and elongation to failure increased with the increase of the extrusion temperature,the extrusion ratio and the extrusion rate,respectively. Recycled specimens reached the highest ultimate tensile strength of average 361. 47 MPa and the highest elongation to failure of average 11. 55% when adopting the hot-press,the extrusion temperature of 400± 5 ℃,the extrusion ratio of 100 ∶ 1 and the extrusion rate of 0. 15 mm / s. The shape of bonding interface was tightly relation with the ultimate tensile strength. When the bonding interface formed continuous curves,the ultimate tensile strength decreased almost linearly with increasing the average width of the bonding interface. When the bonding interface formed discontinuous curves,the ultimate tensile strength increased almost linearly with the increase the proportion of the fine bonding length accounting for the measured interface length. Ultimate tensile strength of the recycled specimens could be calculated by using the forecastable equation.
A method for recycling AZ91D magnesium alloy scraps directly by hot extrusion was studied.Various microstructural analyses were performed using the techniques of optical microscopy,scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS).Microstructural observations revealed that all the recycled specimens consisted of fine grains due to the dynamic recrystallization.The main strengthening mechanism of the recycled specimen was grain refinement strengthening and homogeneous distribution of oxide precipitates.The interfaces of individual scraps of extruded materials were not identified when the scraps were extruded with the extrusion ratio of 40-1.Oxidation layers of the scraps were broken into pieces by high compressive and shear forces under the extrusion ratio of 40-1.The ultimate tensile strength and elongation to failure increased with increasing the extrusion ratio.Recycled specimens with the extrusion ratio of 40:1 showed higher ultimate tensile strength of 342.61 MPa and higher elongation to failure of 11.32%,compared with those of the cast specimen.
Low temperature mechanical properties of AZ91D magnesium alloy fabricated by solid recycling process from recycled scraps were studied. Various microstructural analyses were performed using optical microscopy （OM） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. The recycled specimens consist of fine grains due to dynamic recrystallization and the interfaces of original individual scraps are not identified. Tensile tests were performed at a strain rate of 5 x 10 3 s 1 at room temperature （27 ~C）, -70, -100 and 130 ~C, respectively. Ultimate tensile strength of the specimens increases slightly with decreasing the tensile temperature, and elongation to failure decreases with decreasing the tensile temperature. The tensile specimens at -130 ~C show the highest ultimate tensile strength of 360.65 MPa and the lowest elongation to failure of 5.46%. Impact tests were performed at room temperature （27 ~C）, -70 and -130 ~C, respectively. Impact toughness decreases with decreasing the impact temperature. The impact specimens at -130 ~C show the lowest impact toughness of 3.06 J/cm2.
AZ31B magnesium alloy chips were recycled by three solid-state recycling processes including cold-pressing,hot-pressing followed by hot extrusion and double extrusion.Microstructure and mechanical properties of the recycled specimens and reference specimens were compared.For the recycled specimen by cold-pressing,the grains are refined to a large extent during hot extrusion due to the presence of twins and high density dislocation.The recycled specimens by hot-pressing and double extrusion do not exhibit finer grain than that the recycled specimen by cold-pressing.Consequently,higher ultimate tensile strength of the recycled specimen by hot-pressing and double extrusion is not achieved.For hot pressing process,more compact billet lowers the porosity in recycled material,so elongation to failure of the recycled specimen increases.The recycled specimen fabricated by double extrusion process shows slightly higher elongation than the reference specimen.The second extrusion makes the oxides further crush and distribute more dispersedly,and minimizes porosity,which is responsible for the improved ductility.
