Evaluation of microstructure on SiCp/AZ91 magnesium composite fabricated by rotation-cylinder method

Eco-friendly development and on-going research strategy of Rotation-Cylinder Method (RCM) is given for SiCp/AZ91 Mg composites, identifying some of the key factors that need to be controlled and indicating subsequent casting processes. RCM produces U-shaped laminar melt surface with a Rankine vortex even at high rotation speed in an ambient atmosphere, which allows quick and efficient incorporation and homogeneous distribution of SiC particulates into molten Mg alloys. Therefore, sound SiCp/AZ91 Mg composites can be manufactured in conjunction with subsequent casting processes, such as investment casting and thixocasting. A transmission electron microscopy study showed that the interfacial reaction products consist of Mg2Si, MgO, Mg17Al12 and Al6Mn, which were analyzed using primitive cell volume and zero order Laue zone pattern and single convergent beam electron diffraction pattern containing higher order Laue zone ring from a nanosized region.