In the flux used in the batch galvanizing process, the effect of the component ratio of NH₄Cl to ZnCl₂ on the microstructure, coating adhesion, and corrosion resistance of Zn-Mg-Al ternary alloy-coated steel is evaluated. Many defects such as cracks and bare spots are formed inside the Zn-Mg-Al coating layer during treatment with the flux composition generally used for Zn coating. Deterioration of the coating property is due to the formation of AlClx mixture generated by the reaction of Al element and chloride in the flux. The coatability of the Zn-Mg-Al alloy coating is improved by increasing the content of ZnCl2 in the flux to reduce the amount of chlorine reacting with Al while maintaining the flux effect and the coating adhesion is improved as the component ratio of NH4Cl to ZnCl2 decreases. Zn-Mg-Al alloy-coated steel products treated with the optimized flux composition of NH₄Cl•3ZnCl₂ show superior corrosion resistance compared to Zn-coated steel products, even with a coating weight of 60 %.

Effects of Sc addition on microstructure, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of the as-cast and as-extruded Al-2Zn-1Cu-0.3Mg-xSc (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5 wt%) alloys are investigated. The average grain size of the as-cast Al-2Zn-1Cu-0.3Mg alloy is 2,334 μm; however, this value drops to 914 and 529 μm with addition of Sc element at 0.25 wt% and 0.5 wt%, respectively. This grain refinement is due to primary Al3Sc phase forming during solidification. The as-extruded Al-2Zn-1Cu-0.3Mg alloy has a recrystallization structure consisting of almost equiaxed grains. However, the asextruded Sc-containing alloys consist of grains that are extremely elongated in the extrusion direction. In addition, it is found that the proportion of low-angle grain boundaries below 15 degree is dominant. This is because the addition of Sc results in the formation of coherent and nano-scale Al3Sc phases during hot extrusion, inhibiting the process of recrystallization and improving the strength by pinning of dislocations and the formation of subgrain boundaries. The maximum values of the yield and tensile strength are 126 MPa and 215 MPa for the as-extruded Al-2Zn-1Cu-0.3Mg-0.25Sc alloy, respectively. The increase in strength is probably due to the existence of nano-scale Al3Sc precipitates and dense Al2Cu phases. Thermal conductivity of the as-cast Al-2Zn-1Cu-0.3Mg-xSc alloy is reduced to 204, 187 and 183 W/MK by additions of elemental Sc of 0, 0.25 and 0.5 wt%, respectively. On the other hand, the thermal conductivity of the as-extruded Al-2Zn-1Cu-0.3Mg-xSc alloy is about 200 W/Mk regardless of the content of Sc. This is because of the formation of coherent Al3Sc phase, which decreases Sc content and causes extremely high electrical resistivity.

The annealing characteristics of cold-rolled Al-6.5Mg-1.5Zn-0.5Fe-0.5Mn alloy, newly designed as an automobile material, are investigated in detail, and compared with those of other aluminum alloys. Using multi-pass rolling at room temperature, the ingot aluminum alloy is cut to a thickness of 4 mm, width of 30 mm, and length of 100 mm to reduce the thickness to 1 mm (r = 75 %). Annealing after rolling is performed at various temperatures ranging from 200 to 500 oC for 1 hour. The specimens annealed at temperatures up to 300 oC show a deformation structure; however, from 350 oC they have a recrystallization structure consisting of almost equiaxed grains. The hardness distribution in the thickness direction of the annealed specimens is homogeneous at all annealing temperatures, and their average hardness decreases with increasing annealing temperature. The tensile strength of the as-rolled specimen shows a high value of 496 MPa; however, this value decreases with increasing annealing temperature and becomes 338MPa after annealing at 400 oC. These mechanical properties of the specimens are compared with those of other aluminum alloys, including commercial 5xxx system alloys.

The cold rolling workability and mechanical properties of two new alloys, designed and cast Al-5.5Mg-2.9Si and Al-7Mg-0.9Zn alloys, were investigated in detail. The two alloy sheets of 4 mm thickness, 30 mm width and 100 mm length were reduced to a thickness of 1 mm by multi-pass rolling at ambient temperature. The rolling workability was better for the Al-7Mg-0.9Zn alloy than for the Al-5.5Mg-2.9Si alloy; in case of the former alloy, edge cracks began to occur at 50% rolling reduction, and their number and length increased with rolling reduction; however, in the latter alloy, the sheets did not have any cracks even at higher rolling reduction. The mechanical properties of tensile strength and elongation were also better in the Al-7Mg-0.9Zn alloy than in Al-5.5Mg-2.9Si alloy. Work hardening ability after cold rolling was also higher in the Al-7Mg- 0.9Zn alloy than in the Al-5.5Mg-2.9Si alloy. At the same time, the texture development was very similar for both alloys; typical rolling texture developed in both alloys. These differences in the two alloys can primarily be explained by the existence of precipitates of Mg2Si. It is concluded that the Al-7Mg-0.9Zn alloy is better than the Al-5.5Mg-2.9Si alloy in terms of mechanical properties.

Al-Si-SiC composite powders with intra-granular SiC particles were prepared by a gas atomization process. The composite powders were mixed with Al-Zn-Mg alloy powders as a function of weight percent. Those mixture powders were compacted with the pressure of 700 MPa and then sintered at the temperature of 565-585˚C. T6 heat treatment was conducted to increase their mechanical properties by solid-solution precipitates. Each relative density according to the optimized sintering temperature of those powders were determined as 96% at 580˚C for Al-Zn-Mg powders (composition A), 97.9% at 575˚C for Al-Zn-Mg powders with 5 wt.% of Al-Si-SiC powders (composition B), and 98.2% at 570˚C for Al-Zn-Mg powders with 10 wt.% of Al-Si-SiC powders (composition C), respectively. Each hardness, tensile strength, and wear resistance test of those sintered samples was conducted. As the content of Al-Si-SiC powders increased, both hardness and tensile strength were decreased. However, wear resistance was increased by the increase of Al-Si-SiC powders. From these results, it was confirmed that Al-Si-SiC/Al-Zn-Mg composite could be highly densified by the sintering process, and thus the composite could have high wear resistance and tensile strength when the content of Al-Si-SiC composite powders were optimized.

용탕단조법에 의해 제조된 Mg-9AI-2Zn 합금을 미세조직관찰, 미소경도측정, 인장시험 등을 행하여 시효거동과 기계적 성질을 조사하였다. 용탕에 가압을 한 결과 주조결함이 제거된 미세한 주조조직을 얻었으며 미세조직은 초정 α(Mg 고용체), 과포화고용체 α상 및 β(Mg17AI12)화합물의 3가지 상으로 구성되어 있었다. 160˚C및 200˚C에서 시효열처리한 결과 β석출물에 의한 피크 경도값이 나타났으며 피크경도에서의 석출물의 형태는 lamella 형태의 불연속 석출물이 대부분이었고 과시효에 따라 불연속석출물의 조대화와 함께 연속석출물의 분율이 증가하였다. 용탕단조방법에 의해 제조된 Mg-9AI-2Zn 합금의 인장특성은 인장강도 261.4MPa, 연산율 7.6%로서 상용 AZ 92 합금보다 인장강도 및 연신율에서 우수한 기계적 성질을 가졌는데 이는 Zn의 고용강화 및 용탕의 가압에 의한 효과였다.다.