Composition and Properties of Softening Agent for Aluminum
Aluminum is a widely used metal in modern industry and life, but its high Hardness makes processing difficult. As a result, aluminum has to be softened before it can be machined. Depending on the aluminum alloy, an appropriate softening agent must be selected. This article will explain the composition and properties of commonly used softening agents for aluminum.
The common softening agents for aluminum are divided into following categories according to their composition:
1. Natural Mineral Agents
These natural mineral agents are divided into three types according to their melting temperatures: low temperature agents, intermediate temperature agents, and high temperature agents. The low temperature agents include grits and frits of quartz, corundum, cordierite and fluorite. The intermediate temperature agents are mainly composed of bauxite, diabase or andesite, while high temperature agents are composed of oxide, flux and some other special compounds.
2. Non-Metallic Inorganic Agents
The non-metallic inorganic agents refer to borax, soda, potash, and other compounds that can be used as softening agents. These agents are applied in aluminum melts to reduce their viscosity.
3. Organic Agents
Organic agents are composed of organic compounds such as fatty acid esters, which are added to the aluminum melt to reduce its surface tension.
The properties of these different softening agents depend on their chemical composition. Generally speaking, the main properties of softening agents for aluminum include their smoothing ability, their melting and solidification point, their impact resistance, and their thermal insulation and dielectric properties.
Smoothing ability refers to the ability of the softening agent to reduce the surface roughness of the aluminum surface after mechanical processing. The melting and solidification point refers to the temperature at which the softening agent melts and solidifies, which should correspond to the melting point of the aluminum alloy in order to be effective. Impact resistance refers to the permanent deformation that the softening agent can withstand under mechanical load. Thermal insulation and dielectric properties refer to the thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity of the softening agent respectively.
In conclusion, softening agents for aluminum are divided into three categories according to their composition: natural mineral agents, non-metallic inorganic agents, and organic agents. The properties of these agents depend on their composition, and the effectiveness of the softening agent will depend on the melting and solidification point, the smoothing ability, the impact resistance, and the electrical and thermal insulation properties.
