Microstructural evolution of semi-solid A356 alloy during reheating

Abstract

Abstract Semi-solid billets of A356 alloy were fabricated using a sloping-plate device. This study investigated the effects of reheating on the microstructural evolution of the alloy. Prolonged holding times and higher reheating temperatures caused the primary α-aluminum particles to gradually grow and spheroidize, resulting in increased liquid fraction. The optimal reheating condition was 580°C for 25 min, during which the average grain size increased to 89.3 μm and the shape factor reached 1.18. The secondary phases were also refined by the reheating process.