About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Frontiers in Solidification X
|
| Presentation Title |
In-situ characterization of ultrasound-assisted grain refinement during solidification |
| Author(s) |
Katherine Rader, Jonova Thomas, Chihpin Chuang, Dileep Singh, Aashish Rohatgi |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Katherine Rader |
| Abstract Scope |
For decades, ultrasonic melt processing (USMP) has been used to refine the microstructure of cast aluminum alloys. More recently, it has been used to refine the local microstructure of shaped aluminum castings by applying ultrasound directly to the aluminum as it solidifies. To investigate the mechanisms governing ultrasound-assisted grain refinement during solidification, we conducted novel in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction (SXRD) experiments. SXRD data were used to estimate the average grain size of primary aluminum grains while they were actively refined by ultrasound. USMP slowed the growth rate of primary aluminum grains and reduced their grain size by 36%. There is also evidence that USMP moved the primary aluminum grains within the surrounding liquid, increasing the probability of grains colliding and fragmenting. This movement ceased at the onset of the Al-Si binary eutectic, suggesting that USMP is no longer effective at grain refinement at temperatures below the Al-Si binary eutectic. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Aluminum, Solidification, Characterization |