Microcrystalline alloy, method for production of the same, apparatus for production of the same, and method for production of casting of the same

• US 8,992,705 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2010
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation), Toyota School Foundation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation), Toyota School Foundation
• Inventors: Furukawa, Yuichi, Tsunekawa, Yoshiki
• Primary Examiner(s): Olsen, Kaj K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Polyansky, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US13/392,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20120168040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,702 Days
• Field of Search: 148/437, 148/538, 266/233
• US Class Current: 148/538
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/02 with silicon as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/06 with magnesium as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 23/04 with zinc or cadmium as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/043 of alloys with silicon as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/047 of alloys with magnesium as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 3/00 Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by special physical methods, e.g. treatment with neutrons
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 3/02 by solidifying a melt controlled by supersonic waves or electric or magnetic fields

Abstract

During a process of cooling a hypereutectic Al—Si alloy melt, ultrasonic vibration is applied to the melt to crystallize primary crystal α-Al using, in combination, an ultrasonic transducer (8) that generates the ultrasonic vibration, an ultrasonic horn (7) that is connected to the ultrasonic transducer (8) and transmits the ultrasonic vibration in a specified direction, a treatment vessel (2) that holds the melt and is in contact with the ultrasonic horn (7), and a treatment vessel fixing device (3) that fixes the treatment vessel (2) by pressing the treatment vessel toward the ultrasonic horn (7).

Claims

1. A method for the production of an alloy that has a microcrystalline structure, comprising:

a melting step in which an alloy is melted to obtain an alloy melt;

a cooling step, during which a pressure is applied using ultrasonic cavitation that is generated in the alloy melt by applying ultrasonic vibration to the melt, to drop a temperature of the melt at or below an eutectic temperature of the alloy melt; and

a quenching step in which the alloy melt is quenched after the temperature of the alloy melt is cooled at or below the eutectic temperature, thereby a nonequilibrium α

-Al phase is crystallized,

wherein the alloy is one of an Al—

Si alloy and an Al—

Mg alloy.

2. The production method according to claim 1, wherein the alloy is the Al—

Si alloy or the Al—

Mg alloy; and

α

-Al that is the fine primary crystal is crystallized in the pressure applying step.

3. The production method according to claim 2, wherein the alloy is the Al—

Si alloy.

4. The production method according to claim 3, wherein the Al—

Si alloy is hypereutectic.

5. An alloy that is produced by the production method according to claim 1.

6. The production method according to claim 1, wherein the applied pressure is 1 GPa or more.