A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Microstructure Evolution during Semi-Solid Rheo-Cast Process of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu Alloy Reinforced with Potassium Titanate Whiskers
Authors: Wu, Xia; Li, Zilin; Hong, Xumin; Bai, Jingyuan; Zhao, Zhanyong; Li, Weirong; Wang, Yuxiang; Ren, Zhiyi; Giyasov, Shukhrat; Papageorgiou, Anastassios; Cai, Minghui; Lu, Chao; Cui, Xiaoli; Shi, Wenqing; Tie, Di
Publisher: The Japan Institute of Metals and Materials
Publication year: 2025
Journal: Materials Transactions
Volume: 66
Issue: 12
First page : 1605
Last page: 1608
ISSN: 1345-9678
eISSN: 1347-5320
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2320/matertrans.MT-M2025093
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: No Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : No Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.2320/matertrans.MT-M2025093
Recent investigations have demonstrated that potassium titanate whiskers (PTW) as reinforcement can significantly improve the mechanical properties of aluminum alloys. Building on these findings, 7xxx alloy-5.0 vol% PTW composites were fabricated via rheological processing, with characterization conducted on microstructural evolution during solidification. With prolonged processing duration, PTW exhibits progressively improved dispersibility in the alloy matrix. Specifically, a 59.3% reduction in the average whisker length was observed following 30 s of semi-solid slurrying, attributed to the shear-induced fragmentation during the treatment. Meanwhile, the composite’s tensile strength reached 363.0 ± 3.7 MPa, gaining ca. 29.0% increase. Findings from this study demonstrate that high-performance Al-PTW composites can be fabricated via semi-solid rheological processing, concurrently enabling a reduction in PTW reinforcement content. Additionally, this research deepens the comprehension of PTW breakage and distribution mechanisms during the solidification of semi-solid aluminum melts.