Iranian Scientists Grade Metals by Centrifugal Casting for 1st Time in World
Ebrahim Vahdat, the managing director of 'Keyfiatsazan Tose'eh San'at Farda' company stationed at the Islamic Azad University's Amol branch, elaborated on the application and features of the ‘FGM (Functionally Graded Materials) graded metal’ product, and told ANA, “Based on the required properties, we are able to vary the physical and mechanical properties of the material along with the thickness of the piece in a way that the mechanical properties from the surface to the core of the part changes with a specific function, and therefore, we can maximize the hardness of the part on its surface and minimize it in the core.”
“Based on the FGM graded metal design and the use of the centrifugal casting method, these types of materials are produced that have no material restrictions and include any material like steel, cast iron, aluminum, and copper, and we can produce these data-x-items in a graded manner since the density of various elements is different,” he added.
“The alloy material used by our company has not been used in the world so far; we added 26% copper, 8% silicon and 2.3% lithium to the graded FGM metal which has been done for the first time in the world,” Vahdat said.
In materials science, Functionally Graded Materials (FGMs) may be characterized by the variation in composition and structure gradually over volume, resulting in corresponding changes in the properties of the material. The materials can be designed for specific function and applications.
Various approaches based on the bulk (particulate processing), preform processing, layer processing and melt processing are used to fabricate the functionally graded materials.
There are many areas of application for FGM. The concept is to make a composite material by varying the microstructure from one material to another material with a specific gradient. This enables the material to have the best of both materials. If it is for thermal, or corrosive resistance or malleability and toughness both strengths of the material may be used to avoid corrosion, fatigue, fracture and stress corrosion cracking.
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