Study on Damage Mechanism of Ultrasonic Radiation Rod in Aluminum Alloy Casting

Ultrasound has been applied to aluminum alloy casting to improve the properties of the alloy. However, the damage caused by the ultrasonic radiation rod seriously affects the continuous and steady propagation of ultrasonic waves in the molten aluminum. In this work, a 34-mm long and 20-mm thick titanium alloy plate was cut from the intermediate position of a radiation rod that had been severely eroded. Thereafter, 24 specimens were cut from the titanium alloy plate, and their damage interface was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the damage of the radiation rod is mainly caused by the ultrasonic cavitation effect and chemical reaction, which provides theoretical guidance for the protection of the radiation rod.