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Microwave Irradiation Process for Al-Sc Alloy Production.
Satoshi Fujii1,2, Eiichi Suzuki3, Naomi Inazu3
1Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookyama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan. fujii.s.ap@m.titech.ac.jp.
Scientific Reports
|February 16, 2020
Summary
A new microwave process efficiently produces aluminum-scandium (Al-Sc) alloys from scandium oxide using magnesium. This method offers a lower-cost route to scandium, crucial for advanced materials in transportation and electronics.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Metallurgy
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Aluminum-scandium (Al-Sc) alloys are vital for lightweight, high-performance applications in the transportation industry.
- Scandium's high cost, due to smelting difficulties, limits its use in Al-Sc alloys and scandium aluminum nitride (ScAlN) thin films for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS).
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel, cost-effective method for producing aluminum-scandium (Al-Sc) alloys.
- To overcome the limitations imposed by the high cost of metallic scandium.
Main Methods:
- A new microwave irradiation process was employed for the reduction of scandium oxide.
- Magnesium ions were utilized as a reducing agent in the low-temperature reaction.
Main Results:
- The microwave irradiation process achieved a high yield (69.8%) of intermetallic Al3Sc.
- The reaction occurred at a low temperature (660°C), indicating efficient reduction of thermodynamically stable scandium oxide.
- Optical spectroscopy and thermodynamic analysis suggested a non-thermal equilibrium reaction mechanism driven by microwave-excited magnesium ions.
Conclusions:
- The proposed microwave irradiation process offers a viable and efficient low-temperature route for producing Al-Sc alloys.
- This method has the potential to reduce the cost of scandium, thereby enabling wider applications in advanced materials and electronic devices.
