Microstructure evolution of components of ZAlSi8Cu3Fe alloy in processing of thixo-diecasting

• Published in: Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China Vol. 18; no. 1; pp. 109 - 115
• Main Author: 王开 刘昌明 邹茂华 韩兆堂
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2008; College of Mechanical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
• Subjects: microstructure; semi-solid; thixo-diecasting; ZAlSi8Cu3Fe alloy; ZAlSi8Cu3Fe合金; 压铸技术; 显微结构; 金属学; ZAlSi8Cu3Fe alloy; semi-solid; microstructure; thixo-diecasting
• ISSN: 1003-6326
• DOI: 10.1016/S1003-6326(08)60020-5

The microstructures of components of ZAlSi8Cu3Fe alloy in the process of thixo-diecasting were investigated. The effects of processing conditions on the microstructure of the alloy in the thixo-diecasting procedures of original casting billets, remelting billets and casting components were researched, and the morphological evolution of α-particles in the alloy was analyzed quantitatively. The results show that, the microstructure of the original billets poured at 582 ℃ consists of rosette-like primary α-particles; in the procedure of remelting, when the temperature rises over solidus, arms in the rosette-like α-particles begin to fuse off from dendritic branches and after further heating, α-particles surrounded by liquid phase are refined by the diffusion of atoms and rounded owing to the least interface stress and interface energy principles; and in the procedure of thixo-diecasting, the morphologic characteristics of α-particles and the distribution of phases in the structure change greatly for the high shear rate under the restricted area of the ingate.