한국주조공학회

The microstructural changes during semi-solid state processing of hypereutectic Al-Si alloy has been investigated in the present study. Stirring of semi-solid slurry results in the morphological changes of the primary Si particles, i.e. from angular rod shape to near-spherical shape. Besides the spherodization of primary Si particles, the average particle size increases, especially, at much higher rate in the final stage than that in the early stage of stirring. Various microstructure characterization techniques, such as anisotropic etching, SEM imaging and ECP analysis, reveal that the spherodization of primary Si particles occurs by the combinations of the mechanisms of coalescence, fracture, and wear of the individual particles. Isothermal shearing of hypereutectic Al-Si at 580℃ shows that spherical α-Al particles are formed by the dissociation of Al-Si eutectic structure at the early stage of isothermal shearing. The spherical α-Al particles gradually grow by the mechanisms of Ostwald ripening and coalescence of the particles.