About the Book
With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, this volume is a standard reference for anyone involved in the production or use of aluminium. The book reviews the latest advances in the study of the metallurgy of aluminium and examines how this knowledge is applied to the production, casting, and processing of the metal and its alloys.
The first part of the book discusses production and casting of aluminium and its alloys with chapters on topics such as production of alumina, primary aluminium, secondary aluminium, ingot casting and casthouse metallurgy, quality issues in aluminium casting, and high pressure diecasting. The second section reviews metallurgical properties of aluminium and its alloys, including advanced characterization techniques for precipitation and solute clustering in aluminium, vacancies in aluminium and solute-vacancy interactions, ultrafine grained aluminium alloys, and fracture resistance in aluminium alloys. The last part on the processing and applications of aluminium and its alloys covers joining processes, applications of aluminium alloys in aircraft, and materials selection and substitution using aluminium alloys.
Table of Contents:
Introduction to aluminium metallurgy
R N Lumley, CSIRO Light Metals Flagship, Australia
Aluminium as an engineering material. The development of aluminium alloys. Cast aluminium alloys. Wrought aluminium alloys. Production of aluminium. Uses of aluminium. Conclusions. References.
PART 1 PRODUCTION AND CASTING OF ALUMINIUM AND ITS ALLOYS
Production of alumina
J Metson, The University of Auckland, New Zealand
Introduction to the aluminium oxides. Al minerals - mining and processing. Alumina production processes. The Bayer alumina refinery. Alumina microstructure. Impurities. Production of specialty aluminas. Alumina production trends. Acknowledgements. References.
Production of primary aluminium
H Kvande, Qatar University, Qatar
Introduction. Raw materials used in the aluminium production process. Energy efficiency in the utilization of carbon anodes. The carbon anodes. Electrolyte materials. The cathode and cathode materials. Health, environment, and safety (HES). Inert anodes. The past, present, and future of primary aluminium production. Acknowledgements. References.
Production of secondary aluminium
G Wallace, Sims Aluminium Pty Limited, Australia
History of secondary aluminium. Sources of raw material. Processing. Cost drivers. Future trends. Sources of further information and advice. References.
Ingot casting and casthouse metallurgy of aluminium and its alloys
J F Grandfield, Grandfield Technology Pty Ltd, Australia
Direct chill casting. Heat flow and solidification. Macro-segregation. Typical surface defects. Gas pressurised extrusion billet casting. Rolling slab technology. Special variants of DC casting. Chain conveyor casting. Melt treatment. Impurity measurement. Conclusions. References.
Casting of aluminium alloys
A K Dahle, University of QLD, Australia
Introduction. Aluminium casting alloys. Microstructure control in aluminium foundry alloys. Filling the casting. Feeding and porosity. Casting processes. Conclusions. References.
Quality issues in aluminium castings
G K Sigworth, GKS Engineering Services, USA
Introduction. Effect of solidification time. Theoretical basis for the quality index. Effect of inclusions and porosity on quality. Fatigue failure. Sources of casting defects. Effect of metal treatment and transfer on quality. Possible improvements in fatigue life. Conclusions.
Case studies in aluminium casting alloys
J A Taylor, The University of Queensland, M A Easton, Monash University and D H StJohn, The University of Queensland, Australia
Introduction. The effect of the alloy specification range on microstructure and properties. An impurity that reduces castability and increases casting defects. The effect of grain refinement on defect formation. The effect of excess titanium on foundry alloys. Selecting the right master alloy for grain refinement in terms of effectiveness and cost optimisation. Selecting the right master alloy for eutectic modification in terms of effectiveness and cost optimisation. Conclusions. References.
High pressure diecasting of aluminium and its alloys
M T Murray, M Murray & Associates Pty Ltd, Australia
History of high pressure die casting. The die casting process. Aluminium alloys used in die casting. Defects in die casting. Conclusions. References.
Progress on the heat treatment of high pressure diecastings
R N Lumley, CSIRO Light Metals Flagship, Australia
Introduction. Role of alloying elements during solution treatment. Role of alloying elements during age hardening. Application to industrially produced parts and commercial heat treatment facilities. Implications for redesign of high pressure diecastings. Conclusions. References.
PART 2 METALLURGICAL PROPERTIES OF ALUMINIUM AND ITS ALLOYS
Work hardening of aluminium alloys
W J Poole and J D Embury, The University of British Columbia and D J Lloyd Novelis Global Technology Centre, Canada
Introduction. Fundamentals of work hardening. Models of work hardening. Applications of work hardening models to industrial alloys. Commercial aspects of work hardening. Conclusions and future trends. Acknowledgements. References.
Precipitation and solute clustering in aluminium: advanced characterization techniques
G Sha, R K W Marceau and S P Ringer, The University of Sydney, Australia
Introduction. Aluminium (Al) Copper (Cu) based alloys. Aluminium (Al) Copper (Cu) Magnesium (Mg) based alloys. Aluminum (Al) Magnesium (Mg) Silicone (Si) based alloys. Aluminium (Al) Zinc (Zn) Magnesium (Mg) (Copper (Cu)) based alloys. Precipitation in Al alloys under severe plastic deformation. Conclusions. Acknowledgements. References.
Solute partitioning to enhance mechanical properties of aged aluminium alloys
I J Polmear, Monash University, Australia
Introduction. Solute partitioning through compositional change. Studies of underaged alloys. Secondary precipitation. Conclusions. Acknowledgments. References.
Vacancies in aluminium and solute-vacancy interactions in aluminium alloys
A Somoza, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires and Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina, A Dupasquier, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Introduction. Experimental studies of vacancies and solute-vacancy interactions. Modelling. Conclusions. Acknowledgements. References.
A Somoza, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires and Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina, A Dupasquier, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
C R Hutchinson, Monash University, Australia
Introduction. Physical processes controlling precipitation. Current approaches to modeling precipitation kinetics. Spherical precipitates. Non-spherical precipitates (plates, rods, laths). Coupling precipitation and plastic deformation. Future trends and perspectives. References.
Ultrafine grained aluminium alloys: processes, structural features and properties
Y Estrin, Monash University, Australia, M Murashkin and R Valiev, Ufa State Aviation Technical University, Russia
Introduction. Severe plastic deformation (SPD) techniques used in processing of Al alloys. Producing ultrafine grained aluminium alloys (UFG) Al alloys by means of SPD techniques. Mechanical properties of UFG Al alloys at room temperature. Innovation potential of UFG Al alloys. Conclusions. Acknowledgements. References.
Design for fatigue crack growth resistance in aluminium alloys
D A Lados, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, USA
Introduction. Background and current state of knowledge. Materials, processing, mechanical properties, and fatigue crack growth (FCG) testing. Fatigue crack propagation in the near-threshold regime. Fatigue crack propagation mechanisms in Regions II and III of crack growth. Kmax and stress ratio effects on FCG. A dual parameter ΔK-Kmax approach to FCG. Kmax sensitivity and data normalization for generating design curves. Conclusions. References.
Fracture resistance in aluminium
J F Knott, The University of Birmingham, UK
Introduction. Fracture in uni-axial tension. Fracture in thin sheet; stretching and deep-drawing operations. Fracture in aluminium alloy castings. Fracture in high-strength wrought alloys; fracture toughness. The fracture toughness of aluminium alloys: micro-structural aspects. Fracture in aluminium particulate metal-matrix composites. Effects of serrated yielding (dynamic strain-aging) on fracture. Future trends: optimised properties vs. "fitness for purpose". References.
Corrosion and corrosion protection of aluminium
N Birbilis, Monash University and B Hinton, Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), Australia
Introduction. General, galvanic, and pitting corrosion. Localised corrosion: intergranular and exfoliation. Environmentally assisted cracking. Corrosion protection in the aircraft structure. Summary case study: corrosion of a C-130J Hercules aircraft wing trailing edge strip. Acknowledgements. References.
PART 3 PROCESSING AND APPLICATIONS OF ALUMINIUM AND ITS ALLOYS
Joining of aluminium and its alloys
S Lathabai, CSIRO Process Science and Engineering, Australia
Introduction. Mechanical joining. Fusion welding. Solid state welding. Brazing. Adhesive bonding. Conclusions. References.
Aluminium powder metallurgy
S H Huo, M Qian and G B Schaffer, The University of Queensland and E Crossin, The University of Queensland, Australia and RMIT University, Australia
Introduction. The press and sinter powder metallurgy process. Sintering fundamentals. Sintering of aluminium. PM aluminium alloys and its applications. Future trends. Acknowledgements. References.
Laser sintering and rapid prototyping of aluminium
T B Sercombe,The University of Western Australia, Australia
Introduction. The skeleton. Infiltration. Dimensional changes. Conclusions. Acknowledgements. References.
Aluminium sheet fabrication and processing
J Hirsch, Hydro Aluminium Deutschland GmbH, Germany
Introduction. Aluminium alloys and specifications. The aluminium sheet fabrication processing route and microstructure evolution. Parameters and metallurgical effects in Al-alloy sheet processing. Integrated material and through-process modelling. Conclusions. Acknowledgements. References.
Application of modern aluminium alloys to aircraft
E A Starke, Jr. University of Virginia and J T Staley, Sr., Alcoa, Retired, USA
Introduction. Drivers for materials selection and aluminum alloy product development for aircraft. Performance criteria and property requirements for primary structure of subsonic aircraft. Structure property relationships. New products and recent manufacturing technologies. Conclusions. References.
Materials selection and substitution using aluminium alloys
M Leary, RMIT University, Australia
Introduction. Fundamental material selection strategies. Material selection for specific scenarios. Non-stationary fatigue-limited application. Multi-objective problems and numeric optimisation. Multiple objective material selection. Environmental consequence of material selection. Conclusions. Acknowledgements. References.
About the Author :
Dr Roger Lumley is Principal Research Scientist at CSIRO's Light Metals Flagship in Melbourne, Australia. He has internationally-recognised expertise in the design and processing of aluminium alloys.
