Directional Solidification Processing on CET in Al-Based Alloys

The control of the transition from columnar to equiaxed (CET) dendrite microstructure is an important point to obtain desired final properties of industrial products. The objective is to understand how the formation and the evolution of the CET are influenced by the processing parameters and natural convection with Al - 3.5 wt.% Ni and Al - 7.0 At.% Si alloys. Various experiments are carried out in a Bridgman furnace for which the thermal gradient and pulling velocity can be independently controlled. We concentrate our interest on the CET tendency, added particle effects and the evolution of dendrite grain structures under different test conditions. On the other hand, in-situ and real time observation of the solid-liquid interface is used to reveal the dynamics of the phenomena that occur, thus deepening our understanding. To achieve this objective, Synchrotron X-ray Radiography has been designed and performed at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility.