Electron beam surface melting of model 1200 Al alloys

Electron beam surface melting has been used to characterise the phase conte nt formed in a number of model 1200 series. Al alloys with increasing solid ification velocity in the range 2-50 mm s(-1), typical of that experienced during continuous strip casting. Phases were extracted from the Al matrix a nd analysed by X-ray diffrattion, A qualitative solidification microstructu re selection map has been produced. showing that, for a given Fe content of 0.55 wt.%, with increasing solidification velocity the metastable aluminid es FeAl6 and FeAlm displace equilibrium Fe4Al13 at Si contents < similar to 0.15 wt.%, and that alpha -AlFeSi displaces these Fe aluminides at Si conte nts >0.15 wt.%, and that alpha -AlFeSi is an equilibrium phase at a Si cont ent greater than or equal to0.50 wt.%. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All r ights reserved.