Magnesium alloy and aluminium alloy fabricated by solid recycling process

Abstract

Magnesium alloy and aluminium alloy are the promising structural light metals. The demand for magnesium alloy and aluminium alloy are increasing rapidly. A large amount of waste in the form of chips and scraps is produced in the manufacturing process such as die casting and plastic forming. In this paper, a method for recycling magnesium alloy and aluminium alloy chips or scraps directly by solid recycling process was studied. In the solid recycling process, chips or scraps are recycled by consolidation using plastic deformation processes such as cold or hot pressing following by hot extrusion. The microstructures and fracture behavior of AZ91D magnesium alloy and ADC12 aluminium alloy were analyzed. The results indicated that the interfaces of original individual chips or scraps were not identified in the recycled specimens when the chips or scraps were recycled with the optimal extrusion temperature, extrusion ratio and extrusion rate. The recycled specimens consisted of fine grains due to dynamic recrystallization. Recycled magnesium alloy and aluminium alloy show high strength due to grain refinement. Bonding states of original individual chips or scraps have an important effect on mechanical properties of recycled specimens. Solid recycling process is an effective method for the chips or scraps of magnesium alloy and aluminium alloy recycling.