Capillary equilibrium in a semi-solid Al-Cu slurry

Nathalie Limodin (1) , Luc Salvo (1) , Michel Suery (1) , Francis Delannay (2)

1 SIMaP - Science et Ingénierie des Matériaux et Procédés
2 UCL - Université Catholique de Louvain = Catholic University of Louvain

The microstructural evolution of an Al-15.8 wt.% Cu slurry held for 80 min at 555 degrees C has been characterised in-situ by X-ray microtomography. The different parameters measured by segmentation of the 3D images are analysed by reference to a model describing capillary equilibrium ill all aggregate of solid particles with uniform solid/liquid interface curvature. Excellent agreement is found between model predictions and experimental data, except for the fact that the solid/liquid interface area predicted by the model is lower by about 12.5% than that measured experimentally. This suggests that, owing to the progressive grain coarsening, the slurry does not achieve uniform interface curvature. The model makes possible the conversion of experimental data into evolutions of the dihedral angle, average surface tensions ratio. and capillary pressure ill the liquid.

Mots clés: Interface energy; Al-Cu alloy; Semi-solid processing; Capillary equilibria; Capillary pressures; Dihedral angles; Grain coarsening; Solid/liquid interfaces; X ray microtomography; Surface tension

Domaines: Matériaux; Génie des procédés

Nathalie Limodin, Luc Salvo, Michel Suery, Francis Delannay. Capillary equilibrium in a semi-solid Al-Cu slurry. International Journal of Materials Research, 2009, 101 (10), pp.1389-1445. ⟨10.3139/146.110267⟩. ⟨hal-00389069⟩