Healing of double-oxide film defects in commercial purity aluminum melt

Abstract

The possibility of the formation of bonding between the two layers of a double-oxide film defect when held in a commercial purity liquid Al alloy was investigated. The defect was modeled experimentally by maintaining two aluminum oxide layers in contact with one another in a commercial purity Al melt at 1023 K (750 °C) for times ranging from 7 minutes to 48 hours. Any changes in the composition and morphology of these layers were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The results showed that the oxide layers started to bond to one another after approximately 5 hours, and the extent of the bonding increased gradually by the holding time. The bonding is suggested to form because of the transformation of γ- to α-Al2O3. A complete bonding formed between the layers only when the oxygen and nitrogen trapped between the two layers were consumed, after approximately 13 hours. The results also confirmed that the nitrogen within the atmosphere of an oxide film defect reacts with the surrounding Al melt to form AlN at the interface of the defect and the melt. © The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International 2011.