Flow Effect on Si Crystals and Mn-Phases in Hypereutectic and Eutectic Al-Si-Mn Alloys

During mold filling and casting solidification, melt flow caused by gravity is present.Otherwise, forced flow may be a method applied for casting properties improvement.The flow effect generated by an electromagnetic field on the growing phases and a whole microstructure in Al-Si-Mn alloys was studied by slow solidification conditions.The hypereutectic and eutectic alloys were chosen to allow independent growth or joint growth of forming: Si crystals, Mn-rich α-Al15Si2Mn4 phases and Al-Si eutectics.In eutectic alloys, where Mn-phases precipitate as first and only one till solidus temperature, flow decreased number density of pre-eutectic α-Al15Si2Mn4.In the hypereutectic alloys, where Mn-phases grow in common with Si crystals, forced convection increased the overall dimension, decreased number density of pre-eutectic Mn phases and strengthened the tendency to growth in the outside of the sample.In the alloys, where Si crystals grow as first, stirring reduce number density of Si and moved them into thin layer outside cylindrical sample.Also by joint growth of Si crystals and Mn-phases, in hypereutectic Mn/Si alloy, flow moved Si crystals outside, reduced number density and increased the dimension of crystals.Stirring changed also AlSi eutectic spacing, specific surface Sv of α-Al and secondary dendrite arm spacing λ2.The results gave insight of what transformation under stirring take place in simple Al-Si-Mn alloys, and helps to understand what modifications in technical alloys may occur, that finally lead to changes in castings microstructure and properties.The possibility to control dimension, number density and position of Mn-phases and Si crystals is completely new and may help by metallurgical processes, continuous casting of billets and in the production of Si for the solar photovoltaic industry.