Magnetron sputtering aluminum scandium (AlSc) alloy has unique properties and broad application prospects.

Scandium is a relatively rare metal element and currently has almost no large-scale application in industrial production. However, by alloying scandium with aluminum alloy, a completely new material can be created——Magnetron sputtering aluminum scandium platingAlSc alloy has unique properties and broad application prospects.

1. Improve grain refinement and suppress recrystallization

The addition of scandium can promote grain refinement in aluminum alloys, resulting in smaller grain sizes and enhancing the strength and hardness of the alloy. Meanwhile, scandium can also increase the recrystallization temperature, making the recrystallization process more difficult and further enhancing the strength and corrosion resistance of the alloy. For example, some alloys with high scandium content can still maintain a non recrystallized microstructure after annealing to maintain excellent mechanical properties.

2. Dispersion strengthening effect

Scandium has a good dispersion strengthening effect in aluminum alloys. Under hot processing or annealing conditions, scandium can stably exist in non recrystallized structures, effectively enhancing the strength and hardness of the alloy. This diffusion strengthening effect enables aluminum alloys containing scandium to have better performance in high-strength applications.

3. Inhibit weld recrystallization

The inhibitory effect of scandium on recrystallization significantly improves the performance of welded joints. The addition of scandium can eliminate the recrystallization structure in the heat affected zone of the weld seam, allowing the subgrain structure of the matrix to directly transition to the as cast structure of the weld seam, thereby improving the strength and corrosion resistance of the welded joint.

4. Improve corrosion resistance performance

The addition of scandium can refine the grain size of the alloy and suppress the recrystallization process, thereby improving the corrosion resistance of aluminum alloys. The refinement of grains and the suppression of recrystallization make the grain boundaries and grain boundary distribution of the alloy more uniform, reducing the sensitive areas of corrosion and improving the corrosion resistance of aluminum alloys in harsh environments.

5. Application of Superplasticity and Lightweight Structural Materials

By adding an appropriate amount of scandium, aluminum alloys exhibit excellent superplasticity and remarkable ductility after superplasticity treatment. For example, aluminum alloys with an addition of about 0.5% scandium can achieve an elongation of 1100% after undergoing superplasticity treatment. This makes aluminum scandium alloy an ideal material for the new generation of aerospace, aviation, and shipbuilding industries, especially suitable for welding load-bearing structural components, aluminum alloy pipes, railway oil tanks, key structural components of high-speed trains, etc.

ByMagnetron sputtering aluminum scandium (AlSc) alloyThrough analysis, we can see the unique role of scandium in aluminum alloys. It can not only refine grain size, suppress recrystallization, and disperse strengthen alloys, but also improve corrosion resistance and enhance superplasticity, making aluminum scandium alloys a candidate for lightweight structural materials. In the future, with in-depth research on the chemical properties of scandium alloys, it is believed that this alloy material will have broader application prospects and play an important role in aerospace, aviation, shipbuilding and other fields.