Investigation of the effect of gas pressure on powder characterization of AM60 magnesium alloy powder produced by gas atomization method

Abstract

In this study, the effect of gas pressure on the shape and size of AM60 magnesium alloy powder produced by the gas atomization method has been experimentally investigated. The experiments were carried out at a constant temperature of 820°C with a 2 mm nozzle diameter and 4 different gas pressures (5, 15, 25, 35 bar). Argon gas was used to atomize the melt. In order to determine the shape of the AM60 powder produced, scanning electron microscope (SEM), XRD, XRF and SEM-EDX analysis were used to determine the phases formed in the internal structures of the powders and the% ratios of these phases, and laser measuring device was used for the powder size analysis. Hardness tests were performed to determine the mechanical properties of the powders produced. The general appearance of the AM60 alloy powders produced was ligament, acicular, droplet, flake and spherical in shape, but due to the increase of gas pressure, the shape of the powders changed mostly towards flake and spherical. It was determined that the finest powder was formed at 820°C, 35 bar gas pressure at 2 mm nozzle diameter and the powder was generally complex.