The Effect of Gradient Cooling Behavior on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Al-2at.% Nd Alloy in a Vacuum Environment

Al-2at.% Nd alloy with a gradient cooling rate was prepared using a wedge-shaped mold in a vacuum environment. The relationship between gradient cooling behavior and the microstructure and properties of the Al-2at.% Nd alloy was investigated. The stability of the Al<sub>11</sub>Nd<sub...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xiangjie Wang, Xinyu Zhang, Wenjie Wu, Shuchen Sun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Crystals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/15/1/81
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832588749300563968
author Xiangjie Wang
Xinyu Zhang
Wenjie Wu
Shuchen Sun
author_facet Xiangjie Wang
Xinyu Zhang
Wenjie Wu
Shuchen Sun
author_sort Xiangjie Wang
collection DOAJ
description Al-2at.% Nd alloy with a gradient cooling rate was prepared using a wedge-shaped mold in a vacuum environment. The relationship between gradient cooling behavior and the microstructure and properties of the Al-2at.% Nd alloy was investigated. The stability of the Al<sub>11</sub>Nd<sub>3</sub> phase and the mechanical properties were confirmed through first-principles calculations. The results indicated that as the cooling rate decreased, the transformation of grain morphology in Al-2at.% Nd occurred as follows: a mixture of columnar grains and equiaxed grains→equiaxed grains. The grain size of the alloy increased. Discontinuous skeletal eutectic phases, α-Al and Al<sub>11</sub>Nd<sub>3</sub>, formed within the alloy, resulting in a reduction in the number of phase boundaries and grain boundaries. The hardness of the alloy decreased by 25.53%, and this pattern of change closely aligned with the calculated results.
format Article
id doaj-art-21e09d28c5ed45f78543acfd25f64b4e
institution Kabale University
issn 2073-4352
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Crystals
spelling doaj-art-21e09d28c5ed45f78543acfd25f64b4e2025-01-24T13:28:14ZengMDPI AGCrystals2073-43522025-01-011518110.3390/cryst15010081The Effect of Gradient Cooling Behavior on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Al-2at.% Nd Alloy in a Vacuum EnvironmentXiangjie Wang0Xinyu Zhang1Wenjie Wu2Shuchen Sun3Key Lab of Electromagnetic Processing of Materials, Ministry of Education, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, ChinaKey Lab of Electromagnetic Processing of Materials, Ministry of Education, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, ChinaSchool of Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, ChinaSchool of Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, ChinaAl-2at.% Nd alloy with a gradient cooling rate was prepared using a wedge-shaped mold in a vacuum environment. The relationship between gradient cooling behavior and the microstructure and properties of the Al-2at.% Nd alloy was investigated. The stability of the Al<sub>11</sub>Nd<sub>3</sub> phase and the mechanical properties were confirmed through first-principles calculations. The results indicated that as the cooling rate decreased, the transformation of grain morphology in Al-2at.% Nd occurred as follows: a mixture of columnar grains and equiaxed grains→equiaxed grains. The grain size of the alloy increased. Discontinuous skeletal eutectic phases, α-Al and Al<sub>11</sub>Nd<sub>3</sub>, formed within the alloy, resulting in a reduction in the number of phase boundaries and grain boundaries. The hardness of the alloy decreased by 25.53%, and this pattern of change closely aligned with the calculated results.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/15/1/81Al-2at.% Ndwedge-shaped copper mold castingmicrostructurepropertiesfirst principles
spellingShingle Xiangjie Wang
Xinyu Zhang
Wenjie Wu
Shuchen Sun
The Effect of Gradient Cooling Behavior on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Al-2at.% Nd Alloy in a Vacuum Environment
Crystals
Al-2at.% Nd
wedge-shaped copper mold casting
microstructure
properties
first principles
title The Effect of Gradient Cooling Behavior on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Al-2at.% Nd Alloy in a Vacuum Environment
title_full The Effect of Gradient Cooling Behavior on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Al-2at.% Nd Alloy in a Vacuum Environment
title_fullStr The Effect of Gradient Cooling Behavior on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Al-2at.% Nd Alloy in a Vacuum Environment
title_full_unstemmed The Effect of Gradient Cooling Behavior on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Al-2at.% Nd Alloy in a Vacuum Environment
title_short The Effect of Gradient Cooling Behavior on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Al-2at.% Nd Alloy in a Vacuum Environment
title_sort effect of gradient cooling behavior on the microstructure and mechanical properties of al 2at nd alloy in a vacuum environment
topic Al-2at.% Nd
wedge-shaped copper mold casting
microstructure
properties
first principles
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/15/1/81
work_keys_str_mv AT xiangjiewang theeffectofgradientcoolingbehavioronthemicrostructureandmechanicalpropertiesofal2atndalloyinavacuumenvironment
AT xinyuzhang theeffectofgradientcoolingbehavioronthemicrostructureandmechanicalpropertiesofal2atndalloyinavacuumenvironment
AT wenjiewu theeffectofgradientcoolingbehavioronthemicrostructureandmechanicalpropertiesofal2atndalloyinavacuumenvironment
AT shuchensun theeffectofgradientcoolingbehavioronthemicrostructureandmechanicalpropertiesofal2atndalloyinavacuumenvironment
AT xiangjiewang effectofgradientcoolingbehavioronthemicrostructureandmechanicalpropertiesofal2atndalloyinavacuumenvironment
AT xinyuzhang effectofgradientcoolingbehavioronthemicrostructureandmechanicalpropertiesofal2atndalloyinavacuumenvironment
AT wenjiewu effectofgradientcoolingbehavioronthemicrostructureandmechanicalpropertiesofal2atndalloyinavacuumenvironment
AT shuchensun effectofgradientcoolingbehavioronthemicrostructureandmechanicalpropertiesofal2atndalloyinavacuumenvironment