SBIR Phase I: USV-Grain Refining

这一小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目名为“USV-颗粒精炼”，旨在推进铝或镁合金铸锭或铸件生产中的颗粒细化技术。晶粒细化通常是生产金属和合金产品的第一个加工步骤之一。传统的方法使用的是含有外来颗粒的化学颗粒细化剂。这些方法在细化晶粒度方面能力有限，在金属熔体中加入异物颗粒会在材料加工过程中产生缺陷。该项目将结合使用超声波振动(USV)处理轻质材料的最新技术和连铸或直接冷铸技术，并论证一种能够在不使用异物颗粒进行细化的情况下生产超细晶金属锭的技术的可行性。这项新技术将为生产晶粒度远小于使用最好的商用晶粒度细化剂所能获得的晶粒度的金属和合金产品提供具有成本效益的机会，解决与使用含有外来颗粒的晶粒度细化剂相关的缺陷形成问题，并提高金属和合金的生产率。这一第一阶段项目的成功完成将带来一项突破性技术，将大量金属和合金的晶粒度细化到使用传统技术无法实现的水平。细化晶粒对于提高铸锭浇注速度、提高抗热裂性、减少元素偏析、提高力学性能特别是塑性、改善锻造产品的精加工性能、提高充型性能和降低铸造合金的气孔率具有重要意义。该项目成果的商业实施有可能为金属制造业实现显著的成本节约、能源节约和环境效益。此外，参与研究的学生将有机会与行业伙伴互动。该奖项由2009年美国复苏和再投资法案(公法111-5)资助。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project entitled "USV-Grain Refining" aims at advancing the grain refining technologies for the production of aluminum or magnesium alloy ingots or castings. Grain refining is usually one of the first processing steps for the production of metal and alloy products. The conventional methods use chemical grain refiners that contain foreign particles. These methods have limited capability in reducing grain size, and foreign particles added into molten metals lead to defect formation during materials processing. This project will combine the latest technologies of processing of lightweight materials using ultrasonic vibration (USV) and continuous casting or direct chill casting technology, and to demonstrate the feasibility of an enabling technology for producing metal ingots of ultrafine grains without the use of foreign particles for grain refining. The new technology will provide cost effective opportunities for producing metal and alloy products with grain size much smaller than that obtainable using the best commercial grain refiners, addressing issues related to the defect formation associated with the use of grain refiners containing foreign particles and increasing the production rates of metals and alloys. The successful completion of this Phase I project will lead to a breakthrough technology for grain refining of a vast array of metals and alloys to the grain size level that are not capable to achieve using the conventional technologies. Grain refining is important for maximizing ingot casting rate, improving resistance to hot cracking, minimizing elemental segregation, enhancing mechanical properties, particularly ductility, improving the finishing characteristics of wrought products, increasing the mold filling characteristics, and decreasing the porosity of foundry alloys. The commercial implementation of the project results has the potential of achieving significant cost savings, energy savings, and environmental benefits for the metal manufacturing industry. In addition, students involved in the research will have opportunities to interact with industrial partners.This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).