This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project proposes to combine the latest technologies in processing of lightweight materials using ultrasonic vibration(USV), in mold cooling, and in continuous casting, and to develop an enabling USV‐GRTM technology for producing metal ingots of ultrafine grains without the use of foreign particles for grain refining.  Our Phase I results indicate that the new USV‐GRTM technology is feasible in producing metal and alloy products with grain size much smaller than that obtainable using the bst commercial grain refiners. It is expected that the new technology will lead to an increased productivity; reduced defect formation associated with the use of grain refiners containing foreign particles, and improved internal quality of the metal and alloy products.   The broader impacts of this research are in the areas of increasing the use of lightweight metals and alloys for applications i the aerospace, defense, automotive, and metalcasting industries for significant cost savings, energy savings. The implementation of the research results will lead to a breakthrough technology for grain refining of a vast array of metalsand alloys to improve the mechanical and physical properties, particularly ductility and electrical conductivity. The new technology can also impact the efficiency in power transmission since most of the power cables are made of pure aluminm metal that are grain refined using chemical grain refiners.  In addition, students involved in the research will have opportunities to interact with industrial partners. Â
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project entitled "USV-Grain Refining" aimed at advancing the grain refining technologies for the production of aluminum alloy ingots and castings. Grain refining is a key processing step for making metals and alloys castable. The conventional methods use chemical grain refiners that contain foreign particles. These methods have limited capability in reducing grain size and foreign particles added into molten metals lead to defect formation during materials processing. This project proposed to combine the latest technologies in processing of lightweight materials using ultrasonic vibration (USV), in mold cooling, and in continuous casting, and to develop an enabling USV-GRTM technology for producing metal ingots of equiaxed grains without the use of foreign particles for grain refining. Our Phase II results indicate that the new USV-GRTM technology is capable of producing industrial size metal ingots with grain size identical to or smaller than that obtainable using the best commercial grain refiners. It is expected that the new technology will lead to an increased productivity; reduced defect formation associated with the use of grain refiners containing foreign particles, and improved internal quality of the metal and alloy products. Grain refining is important for maximizing ingot casting rate, improving resistance to hot cracking, minimizing elemental segregation, enhancing mechanical and physical properties, particularly ductility and electrical conductivity, improving the finishing characteristics of wrought products, increasing the mold filling characteristics, and decreasing the porosity of foundry alloys. The commercial implementation of the project results has the potential of increasing the use of lightweight metals and alloys for applications in the aerospace, defense, automotive industries. The new technology can also impact the efficiency in power transmission since most of the power cables are made of pure aluminum metal that are grain refined using chemical grain refiners. The use of chemical grain refiners pullet the pure metal and increase the electrical resistance of the cable.
