Effect of phosphor addition on eutectic solidification and microstructure of an Al-13%Si alloy

• Main Authors: Liao Hengcheng, Zhao Lei, Xi Xiao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Foundry Journal Agency 2011-11-01
• Series: China Foundry
• Subjects: Al-Si alloy; eutectic solidification; microstructure; thermal analysis; phosphor
• Online Access: http://www.foundryworld.com/uploadfile/2011122147118225.pdf

As the refiner or modifier, the master alloys containing high concentration phosphor are widely used in preparing eutectic or hypereutectic Al-Si alloys. To study the effect of phosphor addition on the eutectic solidification and microstructure of the Al-13%Si alloy, an investigation has been undertaken by means of thermal analysis and micro/macro-structure observation. Results indicate that addition of phosphor in near eutectic Al-Si alloy promotes the nucleation of eutectic but has little refinement impact on primary Si particles as expected. Conversely, both primary Si particles and eutectic Si flakes become slightly coarser in P-rich alloys. The coarsening of eutectic Si flakes ties closely to the increased eutectic growth temperature with phosphor addition. The eutectic solidification of the alloy proceeds from the near mold zone towards the center, and it is also found that a few independent nucleation regions emerge in liquid at the solidification front due to the addition of phosphor.