FABRICATION OF MAGNESIUM ALLOY FROM A PRE-ALLOYED POWDER USING HOT DIE COMPACTION PROCESS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Graduate student, Dept of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, National University of Malaysia.

2 Lecturer, Dept of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, National University of Malaysia.

Abstract

ABSTRACT
AZ91D magnesium alloy was fabricated by using pre-alloyed powder compressed
without any binder agent at 280oC under the compaction pressure of 200 MPa at
different time intervals of 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 hours. Some of the compressed samples
were then undergone a sintering process at temperature of 450oC for 3 and 6 hours.
Furnace cooling was performed after the sintering. Microstructure and hardness of each
specimen were investigated. The microstructures observation and hardness
investigation of the as-hot compacted and sintered samples were then compared. The
results showed that microstructure transformation occurred due to the hot compaction
and the sintering for 3 and 6 hours. The as-hot compacted samples showed a grown
globular precipitates (β phase, Mg17Al12) distributed uniformly in grains. However, after
sintering process, lamellar precipitates took place and dominated the grains. The as-hot
compacted sample showed higher hardness value compared to the 3 hours and 6 hours
sintered samples.

Keywords