Wire+Arc Additive Manufacturing of Aluminum

Wire+Arc Additive Manufacturing is very suitable for the production of large scale aluminium parts. However implementation is currently limited by issues such as porosity and low mechanical properties. We have studied the utilization of new deposition processes such as pulsed advanced cold metal transfer which allows modification of the thermal profile resulting in refined equiaxed microstructure and elimination of porosity. Standard and new feedstock compositions are being evaluated and developed with ultimate tensile strengths of up to 260 MPa with 17% elongation being obtained in the as-deposited condition. Post build heat treatments compositional changes and high-pressure inter-pass rolling are being investigated in order to increase the strength further.Mechanical Engineerin

Micropore evolution in additively manufactured aluminum alloys under heat treatment and inter-layer rolling

The application of wire + arc additively manufactured (WAAM) aluminum alloys has been restricted by the porosity defect, which is generally detrimental to the mechanical properties. Suppressing of micropores in the WAAM components has attracted considerable attention in recent years. Inter-layer rolling was introduced to eliminate micropores during the WAAM deposition of the Al–Cu6.3 and Al–Mg4.5 alloys. The distribution characteristics and individual morphology of micropores were revealed by the X-ray diffraction tomography. Key findings demonstrated that the number, volume, size, and roundness of micropores in rolled alloys decreased similarly with increasing loads, eventually achieving a density of over 99.9%. After the heat treatment, the homogeneous distribution of fine (around 5.3 μm) and spherical (0.70–0.74) micropores was realized in the 45 kN rolled alloys. All the evaluated indicators of micropores in the 45 kN rolled + heat treated alloys were superior to the post-deposition heat treated state. The evolution mechanisms include the reprecipitation of hydrogen pores, formation of vacant voids, and re-opening of unclosed pores. The hybrid technique of WAAM + rolling + heat treatment has great potential in promoting mechanical properties of WAAM alloys. The results will provide a theoretical guidance for the design of high-performance WAAM aluminum alloy components

Microstructure, defects, and mechanical properties of wire + arc additively manufactured AlCu4.3-Mg1.5 alloy

The wire with a composition of AlCu4.3%Mg1.5% was customized and used to deposit the WAAM alloy with the power source of cold metal transfer. The microstructure, defect, and mechanical properties of the as-deposited and heat-treated WAAM alloys were studied. Key findings demonstrated that the microstructure of the as-deposited alloy was characterized by a hierarchical distribution of dendrites, equiaxed grains, and a slight number of columnar grains. The volume fraction of the network-like scattered coarse particles of second phases θ + S reduced by 95% after the T6 heat treatment. With an average microhardness of 161.4 HV, the mean yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of the WAAM alloy increased by 116% and 66% achieving 399 MPa and 485 MPa in the horizontal direction after heat treatment. The precipitation of a high density of needle-shaped metastable S′ precipitates was responsible for the significantly enhanced mechanical properties. However, this WAAM alloy has exhibited an anisotropic tensile property. A considerable number of sharp-angled defects like linear and chain-like micropores, which generally depress the mechanical properties, were formed in the WAAM alloys

The strengthening effect of inter-layer cold working and post-deposition heat treatment on the additively manufactured Al-6.3Cu alloy

Wire + Arc Additive Manufacture (WAAM) attracts great interest from the aerospace industry for producing components with aluminum alloys, particularly Al-Cu alloy of the 2000 series such as 2219 alloy. However the application is restricted by the low strength properties of the as-deposited WAAM metal. In this study two strengthening methods were investigated - inter-layer cold working and post-deposition heat treatment. Straight wall samples were prepared with 2319 aluminum alloy wire. Inter-layer rolling with loads of 15 kN, 30 kN and 45 kN were employed during deposition. The ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and yield strength (YS) of the inter-layer rolled alloy with 45 kN load can achieve 314. MPa and 244. MPa respectively. The influence of post-deposition T6 heat treatment was investigated on the WAAM alloy with or without rolling. Compared with inter-layer rolling, post-deposition heat treatment can provide much greater enhancement of the strength. After T6 treatment, the UTS and YS of both of the as-deposited and 45 kN rolled alloys exceeded 450. MPa and 305. MPa respectively, which are higher than the properties of the wrought 2219-T6 alloy. The strengthening mechanisms of this additively manufactured Al-6.3Cu alloy were investigated through microstructure analysis

Y(III) Ion Migration in AlF₃–(Li,Na)F–Y₂O₃ Molten Salt

In this study, three slots containing an anode chamber, a cathode chamber, and a middle pole chamber were designed by applying the Hittorf method, and a two-way coupling model of the flow field and electric field was established using the COMSOL system. The electric field distribution in the constructed model was simulated, and the model reliability, boundary conditions, and related parameters were verified. A three-chamber tank was utilized to investigate the migration numbers change rule and migration mechanism of Y(III) ions in the AlF3–(Li,Na)F system. The migration number of Y(III) ions in the AlF3–(Li,Na)F–Y2O3 molten salt linearly increased from 0.70 to 0.80 with an increase in temperature from 900 to 1000 °C. When the (Li,Na)F/AlF3 molar ratio was between 2.0 and 2.5, the migration number of Y(III) ions was relatively constant, and its average value was approximately 0.75. Meanwhile, at (Li,Na)F/AlF3 molar ratios higher than 2.5, the migration number of Y(III) ions linearly decreased from 0.75 to 0.45. Finally, in the current density range of 1.0–2.0 A/cm2, the migration number of Y(III) ions increased almost linearly from 0.65 to 0.85

formationfreeenergyofsodiumstannatemeasuredusingal2o3ceramicelectrolyte

β-β″-Al2O3precursor powder was successfully prepared by a solid-phase sintering method with Li2CO3, Na2CO3 （as the sources of Li20 and Na20, respectively） and β″-Al2O3 powder as the raw materials. The precursor was characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD） and scan- ning electron microscope （SEM）. The results indicate that the amount of Na20 in the raw materials has a great effect on the formation of β″-Al2O3 in the β-β″-Al2O3 precursor. When Na20 content is 10 wt%, the content of β″-Al2O3 phase reaches the maximum value of 86.24 wt% in the precursor. The β-β″-Al2O3 ceramic was prepared from β-β″-Al2O3 precursor powder by isostatic pressing and burying sintering process. The conductive property of the β-β″-Al2O3 ceramic was examined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy （EIS） method, and the density was measured by the Archimedes method. The results reveal that when 10 wt% Na20 was added, the sample exhibits the best performance with the lowest resistivity of 4.51.cm and the highest density of 3.25 g.cm 3. A solid electrolyte battery of PtlSnQ, Na2SnO3113 β-β″-Al2O3 Na CrO2, Cr2lO3 Pt was assembled by the β-β″-Al2O3 electrolyte tube to measure the open potential of the resulting battery, and the formation free energy of sodium stannate was calculated In the temperature range of 1273-773 K, the relationship between formation free energy of sodiumstannate and temperature was generated as follows：△GNa2SnO3 0=-1040.83＋0.2221T±7.54

Formation free energy of sodium stannate measured using β-β″-Al2O3 ceramic electrolyte

β-β″-Al2O3precursor powder was successfully prepared by a solid-phase sintering method with Li2CO3, Na2CO3 （as the sources of Li20 and Na20, respectively） and β″-Al2O3 powder as the raw materials. The precursor was characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD） and scan- ning electron microscope （SEM）. The results indicate that the amount of Na20 in the raw materials has a great effect on the formation of β″-Al2O3 in the β-β″-Al2O3 precursor. When Na20 content is 10 wt%, the content of β″-Al2O3 phase reaches the maximum value of 86.24 wt% in the precursor. The β-β″-Al2O3 ceramic was prepared from β-β″-Al2O3 precursor powder by isostatic pressing and burying sintering process. The conductive property of the β-β″-Al2O3 ceramic was examined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy （EIS） method, and the density was measured by the Archimedes method. The results reveal that when 10 wt% Na20 was added, the sample exhibits the best performance with the lowest resistivity of 4.51.cm and the highest density of 3.25 g.cm 3. A solid electrolyte battery of PtlSnQ, Na2SnO3113 β-β″-Al2O3 Na CrO2, Cr2lO3 Pt was assembled by the β-β″-Al2O3 electrolyte tube to measure the open potential of the resulting battery, and the formation free energy of sodium stannate was calculated In the temperature range of 1273-773 K, the relationship between formation free energy of sodiumstannate and temperature was generated as follows：△GNa2SnO3 0=-1040.83＋0.2221T±7.54

formationfreeenergyofsodiumstannatemeasuredusingal2o3ceramicelectrolyte

β-β″-Al2O3precursor powder was successfully prepared by a solid-phase sintering method with Li2CO3, Na2CO3 （as the sources of Li20 and Na20, respectively） and β″-Al2O3 powder as the raw materials. The precursor was characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD） and scan- ning electron microscope （SEM）. The results indicate that the amount of Na20 in the raw materials has a great effect on the formation of β″-Al2O3 in the β-β″-Al2O3 precursor. When Na20 content is 10 wt%, the content of β″-Al2O3 phase reaches the maximum value of 86.24 wt% in the precursor. The β-β″-Al2O3 ceramic was prepared from β-β″-Al2O3 precursor powder by isostatic pressing and burying sintering process. The conductive property of the β-β″-Al2O3 ceramic was examined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy （EIS） method, and the density was measured by the Archimedes method. The results reveal that when 10 wt% Na20 was added, the sample exhibits the best performance with the lowest resistivity of 4.51.cm and the highest density of 3.25 g.cm 3. A solid electrolyte battery of PtlSnQ, Na2SnO3113 β-β″-Al2O3 Na CrO2, Cr2lO3 Pt was assembled by the β-β″-Al2O3 electrolyte tube to measure the open potential of the resulting battery, and the formation free energy of sodium stannate was calculated In the temperature range of 1273-773 K, the relationship between formation free energy of sodiumstannate and temperature was generated as follows：△GNa2SnO3 0=-1040.83＋0.2221T±7.54