In situ microtomography investigation of microstructural evolution in Al-Cu alloys during holding in semi-solid state

S. Terzi (1) , L. Salvo (2) , M. Suery (2) , A. Dahle (1) , E. Boller (3)

1 UQ [All campuses : Brisbane, Dutton Park Gatton, Herston, St Lucia and other locations] - The University of Queensland
2 SIMaP - Science et Ingénierie des Matériaux et Procédés
3 ESRF - European Synchrotron Radiation Facility

The aim of this paper is to report the results of experiments carried out on Al-Cu alloys with different Cu contents, studying the microstructure evolution during holding in the semi-solid state. The 3-D microstructure was observed by in situ X-ray microtomography carried out at ESRF Grenoble, France. The variation of the solid-liquid interface area per unit volume during holding was determined. In addition, local observations show that two coarsening mechanisms of the solid particles occur simultaneously: dissolution of small particles to the benefit of larger ones by an Ostwald-type mechanism and the growth of necks between solid particles due to coalescence. These observations confirm that in situ X-ray tomography is a very powerful tool to study the microstructure evolution in the semi-solid state and the influencing mechanisms in real-time.

Domaines: Matériaux

S. Terzi, L. Salvo, M. Suery, A. Dahle, E. Boller. In situ microtomography investigation of microstructural evolution in Al-Cu alloys during holding in semi-solid state. Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 2010, 20 (Supplément 3), pp.S734-S738. ⟨10.1016/S1003-6326(10)60572-9⟩. ⟨hal-00532984⟩