Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Rapidly Solidified Al-Fe-X Alloys

Abstract

Rapidly solidified aluminium alloys have many interesting properties such as higher thermal stability and strength, when compared with conventional cast alloys. Due to these properties, RS alloys seem to be prospective for using in automotive or aircraft industry. Aim of this work was to compare the differences in microstructure of alloys containing Fe, Ni and Cr which were prepared by different solidification rate. Alloys were prepared by melt spinning, melting with follow-up quenching into the water and by conventional casting with pouring into brass mould. Microstructure of prepared alloys was investigated by scanning electron microscope; phase composition was determined by x-ray diffraction. In this experiment, microhardness was measured in the initial state of all types of alloys; rapidly solidified alloys were also annealed to determine thermal stability by microhardness measurement. Results indicate that higher solidification rate refines the microstructure which is composed of supersaturated solid solution of alloying elements in aluminium and stable and meta-stable intermetallic phases. Hardness of the alloys increases and microstructure refines with solidification rate.