Intermetallic Phase Formation in TP-1 and DC Cast Billet of an AA6063 Al Alloy

Abstract

The TP-1 grain size assessment process has been widely used for simulating Al grain formation in the direct chill (DC) casting process, as it is convenient and economical. However, the effectiveness of this process for the simulation of the formation of intermetallic phases present in Al alloy microstructures has never tested. This paper investigates the microstructures of AA6063 Al alloy solidified using both TP-1 and DC casting processes. The as-solidified intermetallic phases are analyzed in order to assess the effectiveness of the TP-1 process in simulating their formation in the DC casting process. A phase extraction technique is used to allow three dimensional quantitative and qualitative analyses of intermetallic phases using SEM, EDS and XRD characterization techniques.