Recycling magnesium alloy AZ31B chips via friction stir consolidation: A sustainable approach
- Authors: Adnan M.; Amantia S.; Puleo R.; Ingarao G.; Fratini L.
- Publication year: 2025
- Type: Contributo in atti di convegno pubblicato in volume
- OA Link: http://hdl.handle.net/10447/683963
Abstract
The growing demand for lightweight alloys has resulted in significant environmental challenges due to the exponential growth of machining waste, such as magnesium alloy chips. Conventional recycling techniques for these chips are often associated with oxidation losses, energy inefficiencies, and elevated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Friction Stir Consolidation (FSC) emerges as a sustainable and solid-state recycling technique that mitigates these drawbacks by consolidating magnesium alloy chips directly into solid billets. This study investigates the FSC process applied to AZ31B magnesium chips, focusing on the influence of processing time on the quality of the consolidated billets. An experimental campaign was conducted with four distinct consolidation times, evaluating the mechanical properties and energy consumption of the process. Additionally, numerical simulation was performed to analyze the process mechanics. The results revealed that FSC successfully produced consolidated billets, with the highest consolidation level achieved at a process time of 60 seconds. Hardness analysis revealed a decreasing trend from the top to the bottom of the billet, with maximum values below those of the base material.