Orientation of Al3Ti platelets in Al-Al3Ti functionally graded material manufactured by centrifugal method

Al-Al3Ti functionally graded materials (FGMs) were manufactured by the centrifugal method with a commercial ingot of Al-5 mass% Ti master alloy. The alloy was melted at a liquid/solid coexisting temperature, at which Al3Ti remains as a solid, and then it was cast into a thick-walled ring. It was found that the Al-Al3Ti functionally graded material can be successfully fabricated by the centrifugal method. It was also found that the volume fraction of the Al3Ti can be increased by repetition of the centrifugal method. Since the shape of Al3Ti particles in a commercial alloy ingot is that of a platelet, the Al3Ti particles are arranged with their platelet planes nearly perpendicular to the radial direction. The orientation effects become stronger when the G number becomes larger. Although the final centrifugal casting was conducted under a very large centrifugal force for the specimen cast three times, the orientation effects were weaker than those in the specimen cast one time. From these observations, it is concluded that the origin of orientation of Al3Ti platelets can be attributed to the angular velocity gradient of the melt along the radial direction produced by the difference in the viscosity.