Evolution of primary Fe-rich compounds in secondary Al-Si-Cu alloys

Although iron is usually added in die cast Al-Si foundry alloys to prevent die soldering, primary Fe-rich particles are generally considered as "hardspot" inclusions which compromise the mechanical properties of the alloy, namely ductility and toughness. As there is no economical methods to remove the Fe excess in secondary Al-Si alloys at this time, the control of solidification process and chemical composition of the alloy is a common industrial practice to overcome the negative effects connected with the presence of Fe-rich particles. In this work, the size and morphology as well as the nucleation density of primary Fe-rich particles have been smdied as function of cooling rate and alloy chemical composition for secondary Al-Si-Cu alloys. The solidification experiments were carried out using differential scanning calorimetry whereas morphology investigations were conducted using optical and scanning electron microscopy. Microsegregations and chemical composition of primary Fe-rich particles were examined by energy dispersive spectroscopy.