Thermomagnetic Processing of Aluminum Alloys During Heat Treatment

Abstract

Processing materials under magnetic fields is an underexplored technique to improve structure and mechanical properties in metals and alloys. Magnetic fields can alter phase stability, modify diffusion characteristics, and alter material flow substantially. In castings, magnetic fields can be used during melting of the alloy, during solidification, or during postprocessing operations such as heat treatment to achieve structural changes. This work investigates the effectiveness of thermomagnetic processing during heat treatment of Al alloys containing in the Al-Cu, Al-Si-Cu, and Al-Mg-Ce systems. We demonstrate an improvement in mechanical properties and a reduction in required heat treatment times for all alloys.

Magnetic Fields and Equipment for Studying the Magnetoplasticity of Metals

“…For magnetic processing, multi-turn inductance coils are used, inside which the sample is placed [28]- [29]. The parts are insulated from the inductor turns by a dielectric.…”