Green Recycling - Fabrication Nano-Engineered Advanced Aluminum Alloy with Aluminum Machining Chips Using Friction Stir Extrusion Processing
Primary Faculty Mentor’s Name
Shaowen Xu
Proposal Track
Student
Session Format
Poster
Abstract
Friction Stir Extrusion and Friction Stir Welding both originate from the British Welding Institute. Fundamentally, these two processes share similar traits, although their applications are vastly different. Due to aluminum’s unique traits, traditional welding and machining practices are inefficient. These new processes allow for aluminum to be welded and shaped using less energy. Both processes utilize friction and pressure in order to turn the aluminum in tight spaces while keeping the aluminum in the solid state. In the case of welding, the pin of the tool is inserted between two clamped plates of aluminum, and the shoulder is then pressed against the plate. The tool is then moved down the length of the boundary between the plates, causing the material to flow and mix between the two plates, creating the welded bond between plates. Our research focuses on the extrusion process. In extrusion, two tools are used to create the necessary friction and pressure on aluminum shards. The turning of one tool creates friction between the aluminum shards, raising the temperature of the aluminum a substantial amount while still remaining a soft solid. This causes the aluminum to be extremely malleable and to deform plastically. The pressure created then forces the malleable aluminum through the hole in the second tool, where it escapes the high friction and temperature, and returns to a solid form, thus extruding aluminum wire without melting it to a liquid.
The benefits of this research are two-fold. One, in using just aluminum, this process allows for aluminum shards which otherwise would be discarded to be recycled and utilized for wiring, which can have many uses. Friction extrusion allows for aluminum wiring to be formed while being 75% more energy efficient than traditional methods. The second benefit of this research is in introducing additional materials with the aluminum during the extrusion process. There is a possibility of new nano-material synthesis with a complicated microstructure that otherwise would not be able to be produced.
Currently, we have designed and manufactured the two necessary tools as well as an adaption piece and stand in order to generate more pressure on the aluminum. One successful run has been completed, proving the viability of the project. The resulting wire’s microstructure will be presented. The next phase includes reproducing the findings in order to find the optimal parameters for energy-efficient extrusion of aluminum. Later, we hope to reproduce the results with additional materials in order to produce composite materials with complex microstructures that have not yet been produced nor analyzed.
Keywords
Engineering, Material science, Mechanical engineering, Friction extrusion
Award Consideration
1
Location
Concourse/Atrium
Presentation Year
2014
Start Date
11-15-2014 9:40 AM
End Date
11-15-2014 10:55 AM
Publication Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Recommended Citation
Hedges, Tyler, "Green Recycling - Fabrication Nano-Engineered Advanced Aluminum Alloy with Aluminum Machining Chips Using Friction Stir Extrusion Processing" (2014). Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference (2014-2015). 29.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gurc/2014/2014/29
Green Recycling - Fabrication Nano-Engineered Advanced Aluminum Alloy with Aluminum Machining Chips Using Friction Stir Extrusion Processing
Concourse/Atrium
Friction Stir Extrusion and Friction Stir Welding both originate from the British Welding Institute. Fundamentally, these two processes share similar traits, although their applications are vastly different. Due to aluminum’s unique traits, traditional welding and machining practices are inefficient. These new processes allow for aluminum to be welded and shaped using less energy. Both processes utilize friction and pressure in order to turn the aluminum in tight spaces while keeping the aluminum in the solid state. In the case of welding, the pin of the tool is inserted between two clamped plates of aluminum, and the shoulder is then pressed against the plate. The tool is then moved down the length of the boundary between the plates, causing the material to flow and mix between the two plates, creating the welded bond between plates. Our research focuses on the extrusion process. In extrusion, two tools are used to create the necessary friction and pressure on aluminum shards. The turning of one tool creates friction between the aluminum shards, raising the temperature of the aluminum a substantial amount while still remaining a soft solid. This causes the aluminum to be extremely malleable and to deform plastically. The pressure created then forces the malleable aluminum through the hole in the second tool, where it escapes the high friction and temperature, and returns to a solid form, thus extruding aluminum wire without melting it to a liquid.
The benefits of this research are two-fold. One, in using just aluminum, this process allows for aluminum shards which otherwise would be discarded to be recycled and utilized for wiring, which can have many uses. Friction extrusion allows for aluminum wiring to be formed while being 75% more energy efficient than traditional methods. The second benefit of this research is in introducing additional materials with the aluminum during the extrusion process. There is a possibility of new nano-material synthesis with a complicated microstructure that otherwise would not be able to be produced.
Currently, we have designed and manufactured the two necessary tools as well as an adaption piece and stand in order to generate more pressure on the aluminum. One successful run has been completed, proving the viability of the project. The resulting wire’s microstructure will be presented. The next phase includes reproducing the findings in order to find the optimal parameters for energy-efficient extrusion of aluminum. Later, we hope to reproduce the results with additional materials in order to produce composite materials with complex microstructures that have not yet been produced nor analyzed.