In order to explore an effective way to shorten treatment time and enhance the quality of treatment coating, AC micro-arc oxidation was conducted to treat the surface of AZ31 B deformation magnesium alloy in KF＋KOH treatment solution. The infl uences of micro-arc oxidation parameters such as concentration of KF, concentration of KOH, output voltage of booster, temperature of treatment solution, and treatment time on treatment coating thickness were raveled out under different conditions. The structure and composition of treatment coating were determined, the growth mechanism of treatment coating was discussed, and the quick surface treatment technology for compact treatment coating with maximum thickness was developed. The experimental results show that： A maximum 33 μm-thick compact treatment coating, consisting of MgF2 and MgO mainly, can be formed on AZ31 B in 112 s under the conditions of 1 132 g/L KF, 382 g/L KOH, 66 V for output voltage of booster and 34 ℃ of treatment solution which were optimized by a genetic algorithm from the model established by artifi cial neural networks. There are no ＂crater-shaped＂ pores in this treatment coating as the heat shock resulting from the smooth variation of AC sinusoidal voltage is far smaller than that of the rigidly varied DC or pulse current. The treatment time is only one sixth of that adopted in the other surface treatment technology at best, principally for the reason that the coating can always grow irrespective of the electric potential of AZ31 B. This investigation lays a fi rm foundation for the extensive application of magnesium alloy.
The mechanical stirring of A356-2.5 vol.% SiCp liquid was conducted in a cylindrical crucible by a straight-blade stirrer. The radial distribution of SiC particles in A356 liquid was studied under the conditions of 25 deg. for gradient angle α of blade and 10 mm/s for speed of moving up and down of stirrer, The results show that there exists a nonlinear relationship between rotating speed of stirrer and radial relative deviation of SiCp content in A356 liquid between the center and the periphery of crucible. The greater the rotating speed of stirrer is, the bigger the radial relative deviation of SiCp content in A356 liquid becomes and the more nonhomogeneous the radial distribution of SiC particles in A356 liquid turns. In addition, when the rotating speed of stirrer is about 200 r/min, the vertical distribution of SiC particles in A356 liquid is relative uniform. It can be seen that the nonhomogeneous distribution of SiC particles in A356 liquid results from the nonhomogeneous radial distribution of SiC particles in A356 liquid in straight-blade mechanical stirring ultimately.
In order to clarify the dispersion of SiC particles in straight-blade mechanical stirring of A1-SiCp liquid, the dispersion of SiC particles in A356-3.5% SiCp （volume fraction） liquid in a cylindrical crucible was studied. The relationship between rotating speed of stirrer and radial relative deviation of SiCp content in A356 liquid between the center and the periphery of crucible was established in the conditions of 35° for the gradient angle a of blade and 10 mm/s for the speed of moving up and down of stirrer. The results show that the radial relative deviation of SiCp content increases gradually with increasing the rotating speed of stirrer. When the rotating speed of stirrer is 200 r/min, the vertical dispersion of SiC particles in A356 liquid is even, but the radial relative deviation of SiCp content is 0.24. Consequently, the northomogeneous dispersion of SiC particles in A356 liquid is mainly resulted from the nonhomogeneous radial dispersion of SiC particles.
In the preparation of plasma electrolytic oxidation(PEO)coating,the rapid heating of freely-happened electron avalanche under traditional discharge(TD)mode inevitably results in a strong eruption of electric breakdown melt.The PEO coating is loose and invariably composed of a very thin inner dense layer and an outer loose layer,as a result of which its properties and application have been limited greatly.In this work,for purpose of weakening the eruption of breakdown melt,thickening the inner dense layer,densifying the outer loose layer and improving the performance of PEO coating,ordinal discharge(OD)mode of PEO coating is developed by regulating the mass ratio of MgF_(2) to MgO(α)and voltage in the PEO investigation on AZ61 magnesium alloy in KF-KOH electrolyte.The formation mechanism under different discharge mode,electrochemical corrosion and wear of PEO coatings are investigated.The results show that the suitableαand voltage for effective OD are 1.3 and 130 V under which the freely-happened electron avalanche in MgF_(2) under TD mode can be restricted by the adequate adjacent MgO.Compared with TD mode,the inner dense layer,in which the(10¯1)plane of MgF_(2) is parallel to the(111)plane of MgO at their well-knit semi-coherent interface,is thickened to 2.4∼7.2 times,the corrosion potential(E_(corr))improvement is enlarged to 3.6∼13.2 times and the corrosion current intensity(I_(corr))is reduced from 10.8∼9.499 to 0.433(10^(−6) A/cm^(2)).The outer loose layer is densified and the wear rate is lessened 65.5%∼89.8%by the evident melioration in surface porosity,impedance and hardness.This work deepens the understanding about the discharge of PEO coating and provides an available OD mode for preparing excellent PEO coating.
The tilt-blade mechanical stirring of A356-2.5vol.%SiCp liquid was conducted in a cylindrical crucible to solve the problem of nonhomogeneous radial distribution of SiC particles in conventional straight-blade mechanical stirring. The radial distribution of SiC particles in A356 liquid was studied under the conditions of 25° for horizontal tilt angle α of the blade, 200 r/min for rotating speed of stirrer and 10 mm/s for speed of moving up and down of stirrer. The results show that there exists a nonlinear relationship between circumferential tilt angle β of the blade and radial relative deviation d of SiCp content in A356 liquid. When β is smaller than 20°, the d of SiCp content in A356 liquid between the center and the periphery of crucible decreases with increasing β. Conversely, when β is bigger than 26°, d increases with increasing β. Only when β is about 20°, d can be equal to nought i.e. uniform radial distribution of SiC particles can be realized. It can be seen that the nonhomogeneous radial distribution of SiC particles in conventional straight-blade mechanical stirring can be eliminated in this tilt-blade mechanical stirring of A356-SiCp liquid.
Yunhui DUPeng ZHANGYujie WANGJun ZHANGShasha YAOChengyu LI
A straight-blade mechanical stirrer was designed to stir A356-3.5vol%SiCp liquid in a cylindrical crucible with the capability of systematically investigating the influence of rotating speed of stirrer on the distribution of SiC particles in A356 liquid. The experimental results show that the vertical distribution of SiC particles in A356 liquid can be uniform when the rotating speed of stirrer is 200 rpm, but the radial distribution of SiC particles in A356 liquid is always nonhomogeneous regardless of the rotating speed of stirrer. The radial centdfugalization ratio of SiC particles in A356 liquid between the center and the periphery of crucible increases with the rotating speed of stirrer. The results were explained in the light of SiC particles motion subject to a combination of stirring and centrifugal effect.
