The Effect of the Electromagnetic Vibration on the

Microstructure, Segregation, and Mechanical Properties

of As-Cast AZ80 Magnesium Alloy Billet
SHIJIE GUO, QICHI LE, YI HAN, ZHIHAO ZHAO, and JIANZHONG CUI

The effect of the electromagnetic vibration on the properties of 300-mm-diameter AZ80 Mg billets
was investigated. The experiments were performed both in the absence and in the presence of
electromagnetic vibrating force fields, which were induced by an interaction of variable and sta-
tionary magnetic fields. In conventional direct-chill (DC) casting, the AZ80 billet exhibited large
dendritic grains with severe segregations of Al and Zn. Applying the electromagnetic vibration during
the casting led to significant grain refinement and to greatly reduced segregation in the billet. There
was a significant increase in the tensile strength, hardness, and facture elongation of the as-cast AZ80
billet relative to that cast in the absence of the electromagnetic vibration. Microchemical analysis
revealed that the application of electromagnetic vibration increased the minimum concentration of Al
and Zn in the center of the Mg matrix.

I. INTRODUCTION refined solidification structure and the enhanced mechani-

MAGNESIUM alloys are the lightest structural alloys
and have attracted increasing attention in recent years. The
application of magnesium alloys, especially for cast and
wrought products, is increasing due to their excellent prop-
erties such as high specific strength, high specific rigidity,
and low density.[1–4] Direct-chill (DC) casting was invented
in the 1930s and found its practical application as a common
way to produce ingots and billets for further deformation
processing. There are a significant number of publications
in the literature pertaining to the technology of DC casting
for aluminum alloys.[5–8] However, for magnesium and its
alloys, increasing attention has been paid to studying the
process of DC casting since it was first developed in Ger-
many and the United States.[9–12]
Although the DC casting process has been used to pro-
duce aluminum alloy billets, and more recently magnesium
alloy billets, there is still much work necessary to improve
the billet quality. During the last decade, the demand for
higher quality cast products, especially with respect to sur-
face quality, chemical homogeneity, and fine-grain struc-
ture, called for new fundamental research in the casting
process. Among the various approaches studied, the use of
the electromagnetic fields is considered important because it
can have a significant effect due to the fact that it does not
contact the melt.
To improve the billet surface quality, a technology of
electromagnetic casting was developed that applied electro-
magnetic fields to pinch the liquid metal and to realize the
casting process in the absence of a mold.[13] To refine the
grain size, an electromagnetic stirring field was used during
the casting because it generated a forced convection inside
the melt and led to a significant reduction of the grain size
in the solidified product.[14,15] Yang et al. reported the
SHIJIE GUO, Graduate Student (Postdoctoral Candidate), QICHI LE,
Associate Professor, YI HAN, Graduate Student (Postdoctoral Candidate),
ZHIHAO ZHAO, Assistant Professor, and JIANZHONG CUI, Professor,
are with the Department of Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Processing
of Materials, Ministry of Education, Northeastern University, Shen Yang,
110004 P.R. China. Contact e-mail: jzcuiepm@21cn.com
Manuscript submitted September 2, 2005.
cal properties of 25Cr-20Ni-Fe-C alloy in centrifugal cast-
ing by applying a steady magnetic field.[16] However, their
works mainly concentrated on the effects of a single mag-
netic field on castings. In 1993, Vives introduced a new
technology of electromagnetic vibration for continuously
casting aluminum alloy.[17,18,19] In his system, a stationary
magnetic field (DC field) and an alternating magnetic field
(AC field) were simultaneously applied during the contin-
uous casting of aluminum alloy. With the interaction be-
tween the applied magnetic fields and the induced current,
vibration and stirring were generated inside the metal melt,
respectively.[17] He also reported that the structure of alu-
minum alloys 1050 and 1085, which had a narrow freezing
range and were difficult to grain refine by means of dynamic
treatments, was greatly refined by the technology of elec-
tromagnetic vibration due to the presence of vibration and
stirring inside the melt.
The electromagnetic vibration studied in the present
article is mainly based on Vives’ system and the schematic
diagram of it is shown in Figure 1. The electromagnetic
vibration is produced by a simultaneous application of a sta-
tionary magnetic field B0 and a variable magnetic field B(t)
created by two coils around the billet mold. These two
magnetic fields are nearly parallel to the vertical axis of
the billet. A ring of a pole is embedded in the upper coil
to increase the stationary magnetic field. Under the effect of
the variable magnetic field, an induced current is generated
in the skin region of the melt, and vibration is generated
inside the electromagnetic skin depth area of the melt due
to the medium elasticity and is propagated throughout the
melt in the mold. At the same time, stirring is produced in
the melt by the interaction between the induced current and
the applied variable magnetic field in the mold.
After the technology of electromagnetic vibration was
introduced, it was mainly applied to the casting of alumi-
num alloy. The aim of the current study is to undertake a
comprehensive investigation of the effects of electromag-
netic vibration on the casting of magnesium alloys. The
differences of electromagnetic vibration casting compared
with conventional DC casting for magnesium alloy billets

METALLURGICAL AND MATERIALS TRANSACTIONS A VOLUME 37A, DECEMBER 2006—3715

are described in this study. The intensity of the electromag-
netic vibration on microstructural behavior, solute distribution,
and mechanical characteristics of the billets are presented.

II. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

The alloy used in the current study is AZ80, which is
commercially available wrought magnesium alloys with
chemical composition given in Table I. The alloy was pre-
pared using commercial purity magnesium. The melting
was carried out in a laboratory electrical resistance furnace
with an iron crucible containing approximately 130 kg of
liquid magnesium and protected by CO2 1 0.5 pct SF6
atmosphere. The following alloying materials were added
to the melt: commercial pure Al and Zn, MnCl2-pills, and
Al-3 pct Be Master alloy. Fig. 1—Schematic diagram of electromagnetic vibration.
In our experiments, the billet mold was made of a stain-
less steel alloy, which was resistant to the magnetic field.
Two 100-turn induction coils were used to generate the Table I. Chemical Composition of AZ80 Alloy (Weight Percent)
stationary magnetic field and the variable magnetic field,
respectively. AZ80 billets were cast in a DC casting instal- Alloy Al Zn Mn Si Fe Cu Ni Be Mg
lation built in our laboratory. The melt was transferred to a AZ80 7.8 0.7 0.15 ,0.01 ,0.01 ,0.03 ,0.005 0.001 balance
semicontinuous casting machine at 923 K and cast into a
300-mm-diameter billet at a velocity of 80 mm/min.
In the first casting, the billets were cast under the conven-
tional DC casting conditions while maintaining the casting
parameters, such as casting temperature, speed and water
flow rate, constant. In the second casting experiment, the two
magnetic fields were applied simultaneously. The variable
and the stationary magnetic fields in the vibration system
were modulated from 0 to 20,000 A-turns while maintaining
the exciting frequency at 20 Hz. At least 350 mm of the billet
was cast in each condition of the magnetic fields. Fig. 2—Dimension of tensile testing specimens.
Microstructural characterization of the AZ80 alloys was
carried out on transverse sections of the billets with a Leica
DMR optical microscope (Germany). The samples were microstructure of the alloy was identified with the optical
prepared using standard metallographic techniques and microscope. Macrohardness testing, on the other hand, was
etched with a solution of 50 mL ethylene glycol, 30 mL carried out on a Vickers testing machine (HVA-10A) with a
glacial acetic acid, 2 mL concentrated acid, and 18 mL water. load of 10 kg. Each measurement was taken at arbitrary
The chemical composition was measured on samples that locations on the surface of the samples for different experi-
were cut in the transverse section of the billet. Samples mental casting conditions. At least five indent tests were
were ground to mirrorlike finish and then washed with made for each specimen and the average value was recorded.
alcohol. A spark spectrum analyzer was used to measure
the sample composition. Each sample was tested 3 times
and the average results quoted. Microsegregation character- III. RESULTS
izations of the specimens taken from the billets were car- A. Measured Microstructures
ried out by a Shimadzu-1610 electron probe microanalyzer
(EPMA; Japan). At least five random grains for each sam- Because microstructure determines the final properties of
ple were probed and the average value taken. the material, an understanding of the microstructure formed
Tensile specimens were made from the longitudinal sec- is an essential part of the casting technology. Examination
tions of the billets at identical distances of 70 mm from the of the as-cast DC microstructures showed that this was non-
periphery of the billets and were machined according to the uniform across the cross section of the billet (Figure 3).
dimensions shown in Figure 2. Tensile testing was con- From the edge (20 mm from the billet surface) to the center
ducted on an Instron 8032 tensile machine (China) at a (150 mm from the billet surface), the microstructure grad-
crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. The microhardness of ually changes from fine grains to large dendrites in the AZ80
the alloys was measured with a Vicker’s diamond pyramid billet. Figures 3(a) and (b) show the microstructures
indenter on polished and etched samples taken from the obtained at the billet edge and center, respectively. Due
cross sections of the billets using a Vickers diamond pyr- to the weak natural convection and existence of superheated
amid indenter at a load of 0.05 N. About 10 indentations bulk liquid in the billet center, the grains in Figure 3(b)
were made in each region and the average hardness was have thicker branches and larger dendritic arm spacing.
determined. The exact location of each indentation in the However, in the case of electromagnetic vibration casting,

3716—VOLUME 37A, DECEMBER 2006 METALLURGICAL AND MATERIALS TRANSACTIONS A

the structures in both the edge and the center of the billet
are refined. Figures 3(c) and (d) show the results obtained at
the corresponding regions, respectively, when the stationary
and variable magnetic fields are both at 10,000 A-turns in the
system of electromagnetic vibration. Some relatively large
dendrites are still observed in the central part of the billet.
Increasing the intensity of the electromagnetic vibration
results in a further refinement within the billet. Figures 4(a)
and (b) show the microstructure obtained at the billet edge
and center, respectively, when the variable magnetic field is
maintained at 10,000 A-turns and the stationary magnetic
field is increased to 20,000 A-turns. Significant differences
in grain size and homogeneity are observed. Due to the
high intensity of the vibration, the structures in both the
edge and center of the billet are greatly refined and become
homogeneous. Large dendritic grains are broken up in the
billet center, and the billet exhibits fine-equiaxed dendritic
grains from the edge to the center. Increasing the variable
magnetic field results in relatively nonuniform structure
throughout the billet. Figures 4(c) and (d) show the micro-
structure obtained at the corresponding regions when the
stationary magnetic field is at 10,000 A-turns and the var-
iable magnetic field is increased to 20,000 A-turns. It can
be seen that the edge of the billet exhibits a duplex grain
structure consisting of fine equiaxed dendritic grains with a
size of less than 100 mm and large coarse-dendritic grains
of 200 to 300 mm. The grains are deformed into a roselike
structure in the central part of the billet.
It should be noted that the electromagnetic vibration
greatly influences the grain evolution in the billet. The
average grain size of the billet tends to increase from the
billet periphery to the billet center, while it decreases a little
in the central part of the billet; i.e., the appearance of coarse
grains in the billet center is not similar to its general occur-
rence in the absence of the electromagnetic vibration.
Moreover, when the intensity of the vibration is signifi-
cantly high, the b (Mg17Al12) eutectic phases segregate in
the interdendritic regions, and the grain boundaries are gen-
erally discontinuous. Figure 5 compares the b phases in
central parts of the billets that are cast with and without
electromagnetic vibration. In the absence of magnetic
fields, the b eutectic phases tend to be large and continuous,
as shown in Figure 5(a). However, in the high intensity
electromagnetic vibration casting, the b phase is signifi-
cantly refined. Figure 5(b) shows the result obtained when
the variable and the stationary magnetic fields in the system
of the electromagnetic vibration are both at 20,000 A-turns.
B. Macrosegregation and Microsegregation of
AZ80 Billet
Because solute redistribution is inevitable during alloy
solidification, compositional homogeneity within the cast-
ing product is very difficult to attain in most alloys, and
there is significant micro- and macrosegregation; macrose-
gregation occurs on the scale of the entire product, whereas
microsegregation refers to the segregation event that devel-
ops on the scale of the dendrite.
1. Macrosegregation
Macrosegregation is the more detrimental segregation
because it is far more difficult to homogenize the billet
METALLURGICAL AND MATERIALS TRANSACTIONS A
by subsequent thermomechanical post treatments. Hence,
the effect of electromagnetic vibration on macrosegregation
is an important phenomenon to understand.
Figures 6(a) and (b) show the distribution of Al and Zn,
respectively, when the billet is cast by the conventional DC
process. The solute concentration over the transverse sec-
tion of the billet is significantly nonuniform: the metallic
elements are highly enriched at the billet surface, and their
concentration is significantly lower than the average value
in the central part of the billet. This is consistent with the
results of Bakke reported for AZ91 ingots.[20] However, in
the billets made by electromagnetic vibration, the gradient
in the solute concentration profile is greatly reduced. Fig-
ures 7(a) and (b) show the distribution of Al (Figure 7(a))
and Zn (Figure 7(b)) in the billet cross section following the
application of electromagnetic vibration, respectively.
Increasing vibration intensity, i.e., increasing the stationary
and the variable magnetic fields of the vibration system,
causes the distributions of Al to become more uniform in
the transverse section of the billet. When the variable mag-
netic field is at 10,000 A-turns and the stationary magnetic
field is at 20,000 A-turns, the Al concentration profile is
relatively homogeneous throughout the billet, although it
shows a small increase in the central part of the billet.
The Zn shows a similar improvement in its distribution at
the corresponding vibration intensities (Figure 7(b)). How-
ever, the concentration profile for Zn is not as uniform as
that for Al throughout the billet, which may be related to
the difference in partition coefficients between Mg-Al and
Mg-Zn systems.
2. Microsegregation
Redistribution of solutes during solidification of an alloy
leads to microsegregation of most of its elements. Because
microsegregation can significantly affect the homogeniza-
tion time of the billet, it is essential to understand the
microsegregation behavior of AZ80 billets cast under differ-
ent conditions. Samples were cut from different billets at an
identical distance of 20 mm from the billet surfaces. Solute
concentration inside the grain was measured with EPMA.
Figure 8 shows the microsegregation profile obtained for Al
and Zn by microprobe analyses of the samples.
The effects of the stationary magnetic field in the system
of electromagnetic vibration were investigated while the
variable magnetic field was maintained at 10,000 A-turns.
As the electromagnetic vibration greatly refines the struc-
ture of the billets, the microsegregation profiles of Al in the
primary magnesium dendrites show much sharper gradients
than those obtained in the absence of the magnetic fields.
Because the regions selected to probe are close to the b
(Mg17Al12) eutectic phases, and have higher aluminum
contents, the maximum concentration in the dendrite inter-
stices varies between 6.653 and 7.974 pct, as shown in
Figure 8(a). The lowest concentration in the dendrite cen-
ters is easily measured. It is important to note that the
minimum concentration of Al in the Mg matrix center is
as low as 2.501 pct in conventional DC casting. In the pres-
ence of electromagnetic vibration, the values of the mini-
mum Al concentrations increase from 3.198 to 3.543 pct
with an increase in stationary magnetic field from 10,000
A-turns to 20,000 A-turns. Even though Zn solubility in
magnesium is low, it has a similar concentration profile
VOLUME 37A, DECEMBER 2006—3717
Fig. 3—As-cast microstructures of AZ80 billet in different casting conditions: (a) conventional DC casting edge, (b) conventional DC casting center,
(c) electromagnetic vibration casting edge, and (d) electromagnetic vibration casting center.

Fig. 4—Effects of intensity of the electromagnetic vibration on the microstructures of the billet: (a) edge AC 10,000 A-turns and DC 20,000 A-turns,
(b) center AC 10,000 A-turns and DC 20,000 A-turns, (c) edge AC 20,000 A-turns and DC 10,000 A-turns, and (d) center AC 20,000 A-turns and DC 10,000
A-turns.

3718—VOLUME 37A, DECEMBER 2006 METALLURGICAL AND MATERIALS TRANSACTIONS A

Fig. 5—Comparison of b phases in the central part of the billet (a) without
and (b) with the electromagnetic vibration.
inside the magnetism grains, as shown in Figure 8(b). In
conventional DC casting, the minimum Zn concentration in
the center of the Mg matrix is 0.151 pct. With increasing
intensity of the stationary magnetic field, the minimum
concentrations of Zn increase from 0.242 to 0.287 pct.
C. Mechanical Properties of As-Cast AZ80 Billet
The mechanical properties of the as-cast AZ80 billets are
presented in Table II. The effect of the stationary magnetic
field is investigated in this section. It is evident that the
billet cast in the presence of the electromagnetic vibration
has a higher tensile strength and elongation to facture than
that cast in the conventional process by about 5 to 8 pct.
Increasing the vibration intensity results in further increase
in tensile strength and facture elongation. However, further
increases in vibration intensity, from 15,000 to 20,000
A-turns, result in a decrease in tensile strength and facture
elongation of the billet (Table II). This can be explained as
follows: during casting, oxides form easily on the surface of
molten magnesium, and any agitation or turbulence of the
molten magnesium increases the risk of oxide entrainment.
METALLURGICAL AND MATERIALS TRANSACTIONS A
Fig. 6—Distribution of Al and Zn in the AZ80 billet cast by conventional
DC process: (a) Al and (b) Zn.
When the intensity of the variable magnetic field becomes
high enough, the forced convection in the melt becomes
very intense and the oxides formed on the liquid surface
become easily entrapped within the bulk melt and cause the
mechanical properties of the billet to decrease. The micro-
hardness measurements showed some obvious increases
in the average microhardness of the magnesium grains
under the effects of electromagnetic vibration, which was
attributed to the increased solubility of Al and Zn inside
the grains. No apparent increases in the microhardness of
the b (Mg17Al12) eutectic phases were observed in our
experiments.
The uniformity in mechanical property across the trans-
verse section of the billet is an important factor for large-
scale billets. Figure 9 shows the macrohardness values
across the transverse section of the billets for different
experimental conditions. In conventional DC casting, the
billet exhibits relatively higher hardness at the edge and
much lower hardness at the center. Under the effects of
electromagnetic vibration, the macrohardness throughout
the billet is increased, especially in the billet edge and
VOLUME 37A, DECEMBER 2006—3719
Fig. 7—Distribution of Al and Zn in the AZ80 billet cast at different
vibration intensities: (a) Al and (b) Zn.
the billet center. With further increases in vibration inten-
sity, the billet exhibits higher macrohardness. A significant
increase was observed at regions close to the billet center
when the magnetic fields were both at 15,000 A-turns.
Because the oxides are easily entrapped within the melt
with vibration intensities due to 20,000 A-turns, the macro-
hardness of these billets is not presented in this section.
IV. DISCUSSION
A. Effect of the Electromagnetic Vibration on the
As-Cast Microstructure of the Billet
From the microstructure results obtained in our experi-
ments, it can be seen that applying the electromagnetic
vibration during casting significantly refines the structure
of the AZ80 billet. In our casting experiments, the electro-
magnetic vibration was generated by simultaneous applica-
tion of a stationary magnetic field and a variable magnetic
field in the molten metal. Under the effect of an alternating
current with a certain frequency, the coil generated a vari-
3720—VOLUME 37A, DECEMBER 2006
Fig. 8—Electron microprobe profiles of Al and Zn inside the grains of the
AZ80 billet: (a) Al and (b) Zn.
able magnetic field B(t), which in turn gives rise to an
induced current J with the same frequency in the molten
metal. The time-mean electromagnetic body force F, which
resulted from the interaction of the induced current J and the
variable magnetic field B(t), can be expressed as follows:[21]
F 5 J 3 B ¼
=ð1=2mB2 Þ 1 1=mðB  =ÞB [1]
where B and J are the magnetic induction intensity and
current density generated in the melt and m is the perme-
ability of the melt. The time-mean electromagnetic body
force F may be resolved into a radial component (princi-
pally irrotational) and a vertical component (principally
rotational), respectively. The rotational forces, the second
term on the right side of Eq. [1], are responsible for electro-
magnetic stirring in the melt. Furthermore, the combined
action of the stationary magnetic field and the induced cur-
rent generates electromagnetic forces in the metal pool that
act as powerful vibrating forces in the melt, which mainly
originate inside the electromagnetic skin depth area. Owing
to the elasticity, the vibration is propagated throughout the
METALLURGICAL AND MATERIALS TRANSACTIONS A
 Table II. Effect of Casting Conditions on Mechanical Properties of AZ80 Billet
Casting Conditions UTS (MPa)
Conventional DC casting 137
Electromagnetic vibration casting 145
AC 10,000 A-turns; DC 10,000 A-turns
Electromagnetic vibration casting 152
AC 15,000 A-turns; DC 15,000 A-turns
Electromagnetic vibration casting 139
AC 20,000 A-turns; DC 20,000 A-turns
Fig. 9—Macrohardness profiles of the AZ80 billets cast in different
conditions.
melt.[19] Therefore, there is both stirring and vibration
within the melt in the electromagnetic vibration process.
In conventional DC casting, the molten metal enters the
top of the water-cooled mold, while a solid billet is drawn
from below. The molten melt begins to solidify as it comes
in contact with the mold wall. As the partially solidified
billet emerges from the mold, water impinges directly on
the cast billet surface. In the case of electromagnetic vibra-
tion, the melt in the pool is force stirred and vibrated during
solidification. The initial solidified grains forming on the
cold wall of the mold are easily broken off by the vibrating
force and dispersed within the entire melt due to the stirring
effect in the melt. As the solidification proceeds, more
grains scrape off from the mold wall and get transported
to the melt, thereby acting as nucleant particles. Thus, the
number of nuclei in the melt is increased.
The temperature field in the melt may be another factor
controlling the extent of grain refinement. It is known that
in DC casting, the melt is undercooled inside the mold and
the solidification propagates from the mold wall due to the
high heat extraction rate. Further cooling of the entire
billet is achieved by spraying water from the mold directly
upon it. In steady-state operation, the mold wall first cools
the melt with running water. This high heat extraction rate
on the mold wall normally occurs for a brief period of
time during the initial stages of solidification. After that,
the thermal contact, and hence the heat flux, decreases
METALLURGICAL AND MATERIALS TRANSACTIONS A
Fracture Elongation (Pct) Microhardness (HV0.05)
2.5 50.3 (within grain)
136.7 (grain boundaries)
3.4 64.7 (within grain)
131.5 (grain boundaries)
3.9 71.8 (within grain)
139.8 (grain boundaries)
2.7 72.2 (within grain)
136.9 (grain boundaries)
abruptly due to the solidified shell pulling away from
the mold wall due to shrinkage. In the presence of the elec-
tromagnetic vibration, the melt is subject to the Lorentz
vibration forces in the radial direction at a certain fre-
quency. The vibrating force generates the electromagnetic
pressure P:
P 5 BJðV=AÞ sin ð2pftÞ [2]
where V is the volume of the liquid and A is the area of the
surface perpendicular to the direction of the force that puts
the liquid under compression and tension in two successive
halves of a cycle. During casting, the rate of the heat trans-
fer between the mold wall and the metal melt may be
changed by the electromagnetic pressure. On the other hand,
the electromagnetic oscillatory wave translates throughout
the entire melt in the mold due to its elasticity, which
increases the rate for remove of liquid superheat and heat
transfer inside the melt. The temperature characteristics of
the melt may be changed due to the presence of both vibra-
tion and stirring present in the melt, compared to conven-
tional casting. We measured the melt temperature in DC
casting of aluminum alloy with a single alternating mag-
netic field.[22] In that system, only stirring occurs due to the
absence of the stationary magnetic field. It was reported
that the temperature field of the melt cast with the alternat-
ing magnetic field was much lower and more uniform than
that cast without the magnetic field. Although we did not
measure the temperature characteristics in the melt with the
electromagnetic vibration, we believe both stirring and
vibration present in the melt will contribute to the heat
transfer and cause the temperature field to be uniform.
Moreover, magnesium has a lower thermal conductivity
than aluminum,[23] which makes it harder to remove a
given amount of heat. However, the density of magnesium
is also lower than that of aluminum. For a given volume of
metal, there is less heat to remove for magnesium than that
for aluminum. Baker and McGlade calculated the thermal
diffusivities of these two metals, which is a measure of
how easy it is to cool or heat the material.[24] The obtained
values for aluminum and magnesium were reasonably
similar. Therefore, from the temperature measured in the
aluminum melt, it can be concluded that the temperature
of the magnesium melt in our experiments is also reduced
but becomes relatively uniform due to the applied mag-
netic fields. The reduced and uniform temperature of the
melt is believed to be favorable for grain refinement of the
billet.
VOLUME 37A, DECEMBER 2006—3721
B. Effect of the Electromagnetic Vibration on the
Segregation of the Billet
1. Macrosegregation
The results for the segregation profiles show a positively
segregated region in the vicinity of the chill, a nearly
steady-state region in the midsection of the billet, and a
negatively segregated region near the center of the billet.
The main mechanism behind macrosegregation is well
understood: the transport of solid and liquid phases in the
semisolid solidification region.[25] Mechanisms leading to
the relative motion include the following: flow that feeds
the solidification shrinkage and contraction of the liquid
and solid phases; buoyancy-induced flow due to a thermal
and solutal gradient in the liquid; forced flows due to pour-
ing, stirring, applied magnetic field, etc.; movement of free
grains or solid fragments; and deformation of the solid net-
work due to thermal stress, metallostatic head, shrinkage
stresses, or external forces.
Yu and Granger investigated negative segregation in
Al-Cu-Mg slabs and concluded from the experimental
measurement that the negative segregation at the centerline
of DC cast ingot resulted from the setting of solute-
depleted, free-floating dendrites that formed near the top
of the sump and were subsequently swept to the bottom of
the sump by convection currents in the melt.[26] However,
with electromagnetic vibration, the applied magnetic field
generates forced liquid flow inside the melt. The direction
of the forced liquid flow is marked in Figure 1, which is
opposite to the direction of natural convection. During sol-
idification, the liquid flow in the melt will suppress the
settling of solute-depleted dendrites to the bottom of the
sump, which decreases the segregation of alloying elements
throughout the billet.
However, there are many factors that control the extent
of segregation in the billet. The authors believed that the
changed shape of the grain by electromagnetic vibration
also plays an important role in segregation behavior. During
solidification, solute is rejected continuously from the solid
to the surrounding liquid, causing the liquid to become
richer in solutes. In order to feed solidification shrinkage,
the solute-rich liquid moves toward the periphery of the
billet through the interdendritic channels and results in a
positive segregation at that region.[27] Dahle and Stjohn
showed in their article that a refinement of the grain size
or a more globular morphology postponed dendrite coher-
ency, at which the dendrites started to impinge on each
other.[28] In the case of the electromagnetic vibration, the
structure of billet is greatly refined and the grain shape
changes from large-irregular dendrites to fine-equiaxed
dendrites due to the applied magnetic fields. The extent
of grain refinement depends on the vibration intensity, as
shown in Figures 3 and 4. Thus, it can be concluded that
during electromagnetic vibration, the dendrite coherency in
the mushy zone is postponed, which means the formation of
the coherent dendritic network in the partially solidified
metal is also postponed. As solidification proceeds, a stage
where a coherent network is formed is considered as the
start of linear shrinkage.[29] Therefore, the refined and equi-
axed dendritic grains in the melt would postpone the start of
linear shrinkage, which in turn retards the solidification
shrinkage-induced liquid flow through the interdendritic
3722—VOLUME 37A, DECEMBER 2006
channels. During billet solidification, the time available
for interdendritic fluid flow may be shortened. A higher
intensity of electromagnetic vibration results in greater grain
refinement that more effectively postpones shrinkage-
induced liquid flow. These events may be another factor
that reduces macrosegregation in the billet cast with elec-
tromagnetic vibration.
2. Microsegregation
Microsegregation is of technical importance for the
metal industry, because it is an important link between
materials processing and mate behavior. We have seen that
the distribution of the alloying elements on the microstruc-
tural scale is inhomogeneous within the grains. The solid
solubility for Al and Zn, the main alloying elements inside
a-Mg, varied according to the casting conditions. From the
microsegregation profiles shown in Figure 8, the minimum
concentrations of Al and Zn in the center of the Mg matrix
increased due to the application of the electromagnetic
vibration. Dong et al. investigated the effects of a low
frequency magnetic field on the grain boundary segrega-
tion.[30] They applied a low frequency magnetic field during
DC casting of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu (7A60) alloy and found that
the solubility of an alloying element inside the grain was
effectively promoted when solidification took place in an
alternating magnetic field. Furthermore, Liu et al. studied
the phase growth in Al-Zn and Al-Mg diffusion couples
under a low frequency alternating magnetic field in which
the solid diffusion process was involved. The alternating
magnetic field was applied for 2 to 8 hours during the solid
diffusion and it was found that the growth of the intermedi-
ate phases was promoted by the magnetic field.[31] The
work of Dong and Liu suggested that the alternating mag-
netic field increased the entropy of the melt or the activa-
tion entropy and then promoted the solute diffusion.
However, they only investigated a single alternating mag-
netic field. The combination effects of stationary and alter-
nating magnetic fields have never been investigated.
In our experiments, these two magnetic fields were
applied during metal solidification. Compared to the con-
ventional DC casting process, the electromagnetic vibration
increases the minimum concentrations of Al and Zn at the
Mg matrix center, which is consistent with the work of Dong
et al., who found that the alternating magnetic field increases
the solute concentration inside the grain. However, keeping
the alternating magnetic field constant and increasing the
stationary magnetic field in the vibration system still results
in an increased solubility of the alloying elements inside the
grains. This can be explained as follows.
During solidification, solute is rejected to the solid-liquid
interface of the grain. After the grains completely solidify,
the boundary exhibits a high solute concentration, causing
the solute to diffuse to the interior regions of the grain due
to the concentration gradient within the grain. If the solidi-
fied grain is fine, the range of the solute diffusion inside the
grain is short and the relative high concentration gradient
within the fine grain provides a large contribution to the
overall diffusion fluxes. Therefore, in comparison to the
large grains, the minimum concentration of solute at the
refined grain center is larger. Increasing the vibration inten-
sity results in greater grain refinement and a larger increase
in solute concentration inside the grain.
METALLURGICAL AND MATERIALS TRANSACTIONS A
C. Effect of the Electromagnetic Vibration on the
Mechanical Properties of the Billet
The increased microhardness of the AZ80 billet with
electromagnetic vibration is mainly attributed to the overall
increased solute concentration inside the grain compared to
that without vibration.
The mechanical property data in Table II provide a clue
to the microstructure evolution of the AZ80 billet in the
electromagnetic vibration conditions. The ultimate tensile
strength (UTS) and elongation to fracture are both increased
in the presence of the electromagnetic vibration. These
changes are consistent with the refined grains present in
the billet due to the intense electromagnetic vibration that
breaks up the large dendritic grains into fine equiaxed
grains. The electromagnetic vibration also results in a fine
and uniform distribution of Mg17Al12 particles on the grain
boundaries, and these fine Mg17Al12 particles form a denser
network around the a-Mg. During the tensile testing, the
rigid and hard network must be broken before any macro-
scopic plastic deformation can take place, which is believed
to result in higher values of UTS. The elongation to fracture
is also significantly influenced by the amount and morphol-
ogy of the brittle Mg17Al12-b phase.[32] A low fraction and
a fine distribution of the Mg17Al12-b phase along with fine
a grains in the presence of electromagnetic vibration results
in an increase in the as-cast elongation to fracture. How-
ever, when the intensity of the electromagnetic vibration
becomes too high, e.g., 20,000 A-turns, the entrained inclu-
sions reduced the mechanical properties.
It is seen from Figure 9 that the macrohardness values for
the AZ80 billet are highest at the periphery and drop
sharply toward the center when the billet is cast by the
conventional DC process. This suggests that the grains
along the transverse section of the billet are nonuniform
due to different solidification conditions present in these
two locations. A high cooling rate at the billet surface gen-
erally results in finer grains with small dendritic arm spac-
ing, while coarse grains with thicker branches and larger
dendritic arm spacing usually appear in the central part of
the billet.[5] Because finer grains lead to higher hardness, it
may be concluded that the sharp drop of hardness in the
billet center is attributed to the presence of coarse grains.
Applying electromagnetic vibration, e.g., with 15,000
A-turns, as in our experiments, increases the macrohardness
due to the associated refinement of the structure throughout
the billet. This vibration also refines the Mg17Al12-b phase in
the central portion of the billet and makes it discontinuous,
resulting in a small increase in this part of the billet.
V. CONCLUSIONS
In this study, the effects of the electromagnetic vibration
on the as-cast properties of the AZ80 billets were investi-
gated. The measured properties were correlated with the
observed microstructures. Compared to the conventional
DC casting, the major findings in this work can be sum-
marized as follows.
1. In conventional DC casting, the AZ80 billets exhibit
large and dendritic grains. Applying electromagnetic
vibration during casting refines the billet, while increasing
METALLURGICAL AND MATERIALS TRANSACTIONS A
the electromagnetic vibration intensity leads to further
grain refinement.
2. In conventional DC casting, the alloying elements Al
and Zn are highly enriched at the billet surface and
depleted at the billet center. Their concentrations are
inhomogeneous across the transverse section of the
billet. In the presence of electromagnetic vibration, the
macrosegregation in the billet is significantly reduced.
Increasing the intensity of electromagnetic vibration
leads to a more uniform distribution of the alloying
elements.
3. Compared to conventional DC casting, electromagnetic
vibration increases the minimum concentrations of Al
and Zn in the Mg matrix center. When the variable
magnetic field is at 10,000 A-turns and the stationary
magnetic field reaches 20,000 A-turns, the minimum Al
and Zn concentrations at the center of the magnesium
grain are 3.543 and 0.287 pct, respectively.
4. The billet cast with electromagnetic vibration has a
higher tensile strength, microhardness, and facture elon-
gation than that cast by the conventional DC process.
When the stationary and variable magnetic fields are
both at 15,000 A-turns, the UTS and fracture elongation
of the as-cast AZ80 billet can be increased to 152 MPa
and 3.9 pct, respectively. The macrohardness values
across the transverse section of the AZ80 billet are
greatly increased by the electromagnetic vibration, espe-
cially for the billet edge and the billet center.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors are grateful to the National Natural Science
Foundation of China (Grant No. 50374025) for providing
financial support of this project.
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METALLURGICAL AND MATERIALS TRANSACTIONS A