ANALYSIS OF METHODS FOR MODIFYING ALUMINUM ALLOYS

Despite the high cost of aluminum alloys compared to cast irons and steels, they find wide application in various branches of mechanical engineering due to the significantly lower weight of castings and the reduction in the labor intensity of their mechanical processing. To date, a large number of works have been published on the study of the microstructural parameters of aluminum alloys. Numerous studies of melt crystallization processes are associated with the fact that there are methods of influencing such key characteristics of the alloy as strength, ductility, corrosion resistance, and thermal conductivity. Forecasting the quality of products obtained from aluminum alloys is one of the most important scientific and technical tasks at the intersection of the theory and technology of foundry production and the adjacent field of materials science. This article provides an overview of existing methods and methods for modifying aluminum and its alloys. The main theories, types of modification, and processes occurring under the action of modifying additives on the melt are described. The methods of introducing modifying elements into the melt are considered. The technologies for obtaining powder mixtures and master alloys with the greatest modifying effect are presented. Methods of cavitation and laser exposure to the melt, enhancing the effect of the modifier, are given. The informational and genetic approaches to the modification process are considered. The main effective modifying additives are summarized and listed: rare earth metals, diamond powder, carbon nanotubes, as well as refractory ceramic compounds: AlN, Si 3 N 4 , SiC, TiC, B 4 C, TiB 2 . The described methods are promising solutions that can make this light and strong metal even more versatile and high-performance material for various industries.