Industrial Consultancy & Sponsored Research (IC&SR) , IIT Madras
A Casting Method for Producing High-performance Magnesium Alloy
Technology Category/Market
Technology: Casting Method For Producing High-performance Magnesium Alloy
Category: Advance Material & Manufacturing
Industry: Manufacturing / Chemical
Application: Casting of magnesium alloy
Market: The global market size is USD 2545.2 million in 2024. It will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.00% from 2024 to 2031.
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Problem Statement
- Magnesium alloys, made from magnesium and other alloying metals, are used in lightweight applications.
- Casting processes are common for these alloys, but they face challenges like dendrite formation, microporosity, hot tears, non-homogenized microstructure, and poor mechanical properties.
- Various methods have been explored to create defect-free, high-strength AZ91 alloys.
- The current invention overcomes these issues, resulting in a cast magnesium alloy with a homogenized microstructure and improved mechanical properties.
Technology
- A method of casting a magnesium alloy
- Melting the magnesium alloy to obtain an alloy melt
- Subjecting the alloy melt obtained in step a) to horizontal and vertical agitation motion
- Introducing inert gas pockets when the alloy melt temperature reaches its melting point and temperature range is 580-585 °C
- The gas pockets are introduced at a discharge rate of – 6-8 l/min till a semi solid temperature range is reached with agitation in horizontal and vertical direction
- The semi solid Cooling the alloy melt with gas pockets from step c) to yield a cast magnesium alloy.
Key Features/Value Proposition
Magnesium Alloy Melting Overview
- Melting magnesium alloy in blocks.
- No reinforcement, foreign particles, rare earth elements.
- Melting at 700-720°C range.
Casting Magnesium Alloy:
- Composed of 8-10% aluminum.
- Containing 0.5-2% zinc.
Gas Pocket Maintenance:
- Maintains 25-530 μm diameter gas pockets.
- Agitating melt done by impeller at 200-250 RPM.
Cast Magnesium Alloy Strength
- 220-280 Mpa,4-8% ductility,80HV.
Inert gas:
- Argon
Melted Alloy and Gas Pockets Maintenance:
- Surface tension between alloy and gas pockets: 505-510 N/m.
- Impeller cavities: 1-3mm in diameter.
Cast magnesium alloy subjected to solution treatment and optional aging treatment:
- Solution treatment: Heating the alloy to 400-500°C for 10-14 hours.
- Aging treatment: Heating the metal to 170-190°C for 18-24 hours.
Questions about this Technology?
Contact for Licensing
Research Lab
Prof. Sushanta Kumar Panigrahi
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Intellectual Property
IITM IDF Ref. 2778
Patent No: IN 550671
Technology Readiness Level
TRL-4
Experimentally validated in Lab