Phase field simulation on microstructure evolution in solidification and aging process of squeeze cast magnesium alloy

Abstract

Phase-field models have been developed to simulate the dendritic growth in pressurized solidification of Mg-Al alloy during squeeze casting and the precipitation of multivariant β-Mg 17 Al 12 phases during the subsequent aging process. For the pressurized solidification, the effects of pressure on the Gibbs free energy and chemical potential of solid and liquid phases, and the solute diffusion coefficient were considered. For the precipitation during aging process, the effects of elastic strain energy, anisotropy of interfacial energy, and anisotropy of interface mobility coefficient were considered. The results showed that the dendritic growth rate tends to increase and the secondary dendrite arms are more developed as the pressure is increased from 0.1 to 100MPa, which showed a good agreement with the experimental results of direct squeeze casting of Mg-Al alloy. The 2D and 3D simulated precipitates had lath shapes with lozenge ends, and the precipitate variants were parallel to the basal plane and oriented in directions with an angular interval of 60 degrees, which is in good agreement with experimental observations.