Melt Behavior and Shrinkage Force Effect of Al Melt in Al/Mg Bimetal Casted via Centrifugal Casting

Applications of aluminium and magnesium castings have been increased, as a result of increasing demand for the light weight components in various sectors of industries, in recent years. In this work an Al/Mg bimetal was prepared by casting Al melt into a cylindrical Mg bush, with 35 mm height and 76 and 84 inner and outer inner diameter, rotating at 1200 and 1600 revolutions per minute (rpm), 0.9, 1.6 and 2.7 melt-to-solid volume ratio and 30, 120, 150 and 200 oC preheating temperature, respectively. Vertical centrifugal casting process was selected for producing samples. In this process melt is under effect of centrifugal, coriolis and gravity forces during filling. Difference between shrinkage of Al and Mg led to the formation of mechanical bond in the interface. The results of scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that concentration gradient changes from Mg to Al side in such a way that three sub layers including Al3Mg2 and Al12Mg17 intermetallics plus eutectic microstructure (Al12Mg17 and δ), were formed, based on aluminium and magnesium phase diagram, in the interface.