Computer-aided cooling curve thermal analysis used to predict the quality of aluminum alloys

Abstract

In this research, the effects of Al–5Ti–1B grain refiner and Al–10Sr modifier were studied on solidification characteristics and microstructural features of 319 aluminum alloy. Important solidification events such as recalescence and nucleation undercooling temperature and aluminum–silicon eutectic depression temperature have been evaluated using cooling curve and its first derivative curve obtained from thermal analysis of a sample. The aim of this article is to show the ability of the thermal analysis technique to predict some key parameters controlling solidification and casting process. It has been found that the thermal analysis is the identified method for a rapid on-line monitoring of metallurgical characteristics of aluminum alloy melts without conventional metallographic examination.