Magnesium Removal from an Aluminum A-332 Molten Alloy Using Enriched Zeolite with Nanoparticles of SiO₂

Abstract

In order to improve the Mg removal from an A-380 molten alloy, mixtures of zeolite and SiO 2 nanoparticles (SiO 2(NPs) ) were tested. Zeolite was enriched with 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, or 12.5 wt-% of amorphous SiO 2(NPs) . The SiO 2(NPs) and zeolite were mixed for 30 min in ethanol for each experiment and then dried in a furnace at 80 ∘ C for 12 h. The enriched zeolites were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and N 2 gas adsorption analysis. The Mg removal was carried out injecting each mixture into the molten aluminum alloy at 750 ∘ C using argon. The Mg content of the molten alloy was measured after different periods of the injection time. Zeolites enriched with 2.5 and 5 wt-% of SiO 2(NPs) were demonstrated to be the better mixtures, removing Mg from an initial content of 1.6 to a final content of 0.0002 and 0.0101 wt-%, respectively, in 45 min of injection.