Effect of compaction and fluoride content on the remelting efficiency of pure magnesium chips

Abstract

Magnesium is widely used in industries, such as automotive, aerospace, and medical fields. The demand on magnesium has been growing, although the production and melt treatment is complex due to strong oxidation tendency. Recycling of magnesium scraps is crucial due to the criticality of magnesium-containing raw materials in Europe as well as increasing environmental concerns. Remelting of magnesium is typically conducted under a salt flux which absorbs the impurities and protects the melt against oxidation. This study investigates the effect of compaction, fused salt flux, and salt composition on remelting behavior of magnesium chips. Metal yield and coagulation efficiency were calculated after remelting, and samples were characterized by using Scanning Electron Microscope and X-ray Diffraction. The liquidus temperature and density of fluxes were analyzed by FactSage software. Remelting of compacted chips under a fused salt flux with 5 wt.% CaF2 showed the highest magnesium recovery with a yield of 97.7%. Le magnesium est largement utilise dans une variete d'industries, telles que les domaines de l'automobile, de l'aerospatiale et de la medecine. La demande en magnesium s'est accrue, bien que la production et le traitement du bain soient complexes en raison de sa forte tendance a l'oxydation. Le recyclage des dechets de magnesium est crucial en raison de la criticite des matieres premieres contenant du magnesium en Europe ainsi que des preoccupations environnementales croissantes. La refusion du magnesium est effectuee typiquement sous un flux de sel qui absorbe les impuretes et protege le bain contre l'oxydation. Cette etude examine l'effet du compactage, du flux de sel fondu et de la composition du sel sur le comportement a la refusion des copeaux de magnesium. On a calcule le rendement en metal et l'efficacite de la coagulation apres des experiences de refusion, et l'on a caracterise les echantillons a l'aide d'un microscope electronique a balayage et de la diffraction des rayons X. On a analyse la temperature du liquidus (Tliq) et la densite des flux de sel avec le logiciel FactSage. La refusion des copeaux compactes sous un flux de sel fondu avec 5% en poids de CaF2 a montre la recuperation de magnesium la plus elevee avec un rendement de 97.7%