Effect of Grain Refiner C2Cl6 on Tensile Properties of Squeeze Cast Mg Alloy AM60

In this study, the hexachloroethane (C2Cl6) as a refiner was introduced into a cylindrical squeeze casting of magnesium alloy AM60 with a diameter of 100 mm and a thickness of 25 mm. The casting was prepared under an applied pressure of 30 MPa. The results of tensile testing indicate the tensile properties for the C2Cl6-refined specimens were significantly improved over the untreated AM60 samples. Microstructure analyses with optical microscopes reveal the great grain refining capability of C2Cl6 on squeeze cast magnesium alloy AM60, which should be responsible for the enhanced tensile properties of the refined AM60.

Grain Structure Development of C2Cl6-Refined Magnesium Alloy AM60

The demand for weight reduction in automotive industry has generated great interest in research and development of magnesium applications, especially for powertrain components. Recently, the squeeze casting process is increasingly used on magnesium alloys mainly because of their great ability of eliminating the porosity in the castings. In this study, the effect of hexachloroethane (C2Cl6) as a grain refiner added into the squeeze casting AM60 magnesium alloys was investigated. The results of thermal analysis and microstructural analysis indicate the occurrence of heterogeneous nucleation of primary magnesium during solidification. The microstructural analysis suggests that the nucleation behavior of C2Cl6-treated AM60 alloy may be attributed to the increase in nuclei and nucleation rate during the solidification of the magnesium alloy.