Abstract
The effects of Eu addition on the silicon phase and mechanical properties of hypereutectic Al–16Si alloys have been investigated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron probe microanalysis map**, and high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy. In addition, the mechanism of spheroidization of the primary silicon was studied. The addition of 0.8% Eu generated a refined spheroidal primary silicon and a fibrous eutectic silicon in the hypereutectic Al–16Si alloys. The ultimate tensile strength and elongation were increased by 16.26% and 166%, respectively. The refinement of the primary silicon was caused by a constitutional undercooling of the Eu element. The spheroidization of primary silicon can be attributed to an impurity induced twinning mechanism and a poisoning of the twin plane re-entrant due to the adsorption of Eu at the parallel twins, intersection twins and 141° twin plane re-entrant.
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs40962-023-01198-0/MediaObjects/40962_2023_1198_Fig1_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs40962-023-01198-0/MediaObjects/40962_2023_1198_Fig2_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs40962-023-01198-0/MediaObjects/40962_2023_1198_Fig3_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs40962-023-01198-0/MediaObjects/40962_2023_1198_Fig4_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs40962-023-01198-0/MediaObjects/40962_2023_1198_Fig5_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs40962-023-01198-0/MediaObjects/40962_2023_1198_Fig6_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs40962-023-01198-0/MediaObjects/40962_2023_1198_Fig7_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs40962-023-01198-0/MediaObjects/40962_2023_1198_Fig8_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs40962-023-01198-0/MediaObjects/40962_2023_1198_Fig9_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs40962-023-01198-0/MediaObjects/40962_2023_1198_Fig10_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs40962-023-01198-0/MediaObjects/40962_2023_1198_Fig11_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs40962-023-01198-0/MediaObjects/40962_2023_1198_Fig12_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs40962-023-01198-0/MediaObjects/40962_2023_1198_Fig13_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs40962-023-01198-0/MediaObjects/40962_2023_1198_Fig14_HTML.jpg)
Similar content being viewed by others
References
M.M. Haque, A. Sharif, Study on wear properties of aluminium–silicon piston alloy. J. Mater. Process. Technol. 118(1–3), 69–73 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0924-0136(01)00869-X
J. Li, M. Elmadagli, V.Y. Gertsman, J. Lo, A.T. Alpas, FIB and TEM characterization of subsurfaces of an Al–Si alloy (A390) subjected to sliding wear. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 421(1–2), 317–327 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2006.01.084
J. Jorstad, D. Apelian, Hypereutectic Al–Si Alloys: practical casting considerations. Int. J. Metalcast. 3, 13–36 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03355450
L. Zhang, S.Y. Chen, Q.C. Li, G.W. Chang, Formation mechanism and conditions of fine primary silicon being uniformly distributed on single αAl matrix in Al–Si alloys. Mater. Des. 193, 108853 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2020.108853
C.L. Xu, Q.C. Jiang, Morphologies of primary silicon in hypereutectic Al–Si alloys with melt overheating temperature and cooling rate. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 437(2), 451–455 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2006.07.088
M.M. Shehata, S. El-Hadad, M.E. Moussa et al., The combined effect of cooling slope plate casting and mold vibration on microstructure, hardness and wear behavior of Al–Si alloy (A390). Inter Metalcast 15, 763–779 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-020-00497-0
F. Mao, Y. Qiao, P. Zhang et al., Modification mechanism of rare earth Eu on eutectic Si in hypoeutectic Al–Si alloy. Int. J. Metalcast. (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-021-00626-3
M.F. Ibrahim, M.H. Abdelaziz, A.M. Samuel et al., Effect of rare earth metals on the mechanical properties and fractography of Al–Si-based alloys. Int. J. Metalcast. 14, 108–124 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-019-00336-x
C.Y. Li, F. Liu, F.X. Yu, H.R. Qiao, D.P. Zheng, Q.C. Le, The growth mechanism and morphology evolution of primary Si during slow cooling solidification of high purity Al–15Si alloy with Cr additions. J. Market. Res. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2023.01.034
H. Tahiri, A.M. Samuel, H.W. Doty et al., Effect of Sr–grain refiner–Si interactions on the microstructure characteristics of Al–Si hypereutectic alloys. Int. J. Metalcast. 12, 307–320 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-017-0164-5
G. Sigworth, J. Campbell, J. Jorstad, The modification of Al–Si casting alloys: important practical and theoretical aspects. Int. J. Metalcast. 3, 65–78 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03355442
G.K. Sigworth, T.A. Kuhn, Grain refinement of aluminum casting alloys. Int. J. Metalcast. 1, 31–40 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03355416
G.K. Sigworth, The modification of Al–Si casting alloys: important practical and theoretical aspects. Int. J. Metalcast. 2, 19–40 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03355425
S. Ashkvary, S.G. Shabestari, F. Yavari, Effect of cooling rate on the microstructure and solidification characteristics of Al–20%Mg2Si in situ composites using computer-aided thermal analysis technique. Int. J. Metalcast. (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-022-00771-3
Q.L. Li, T.D. **a, Y.F. Lan, W.J. Zhan, L. Fan, P.F. Li, Effect of rare earth cerium addition on the microstructure and tensile properties of hypereutectic Al–20% Si alloy. J. Alloy. Compd. 562, 25–32 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2013.02.016
S.M. Liang, R. Schmid-Fetzer, Phosphorus in Al–Si cast alloys: Thermodynamic prediction of the AlP and eutectic (Si) solidification sequence validated by microstructure and nucleation undercooling data. Acta Mater. 72, 41–56 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2014.02.042
X.Z. Zhu, S.H. Wang, X.X. Dong, X.F. Liu, S.X. Ji, Morphologically templated nucleation of primary Si on AlP in hypereutectic Al–Si alloys. J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 100, 36–45 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmst.2021.06.009
M. Çalış, A.P. Hekimoğlu, Effect of strontium additions on the microstructural and mechanical properties of Al–17Si–4Cu–0.6 Mg–3Zn (B390+ 2 wt% Zn) alloy. Int. J. Metalcast. (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-022-00755-3
M. Zuo, D.G. Zhao, X.Y. Teng, H.R. Geng, Z.S. Zhang, Effect of P and Sr complex modification on Si phase in hypereutectic Al–30Si alloys. Mater. Des. 47, 857–864 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2012.12.054
H. Choi, X. Li, Refinement of primary Si and modification of eutectic Si for enhanced ductility of hypereutectic Al–20Si–45Cu alloy with addition of Al2O3 nanoparticles. J. Mater. Sci. 47, 3096–3102 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-011-6143-y
Q.L. Li, T.D. **a, Y.F. Lan, W.J. Zhao, L. Fan, P.F. Li, Effect of in situ γ-Al2O3 particles on the microstructure of hypereutectic Al–20% Si alloy. J. Alloy. Compd. 577, 232–236 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2013.04.043
Q.L. Li, T.D. **a, Y.F. Lan, P.F. Li, L. Fan, Effects of rare earth Er addition on microstructure and mechanical properties of hypereutectic Al–20%Si alloy. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 588, 97–102 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2013.09.017
Q.L. Li, J.B. Li, B.Q. Li, Y.F. Lan, T.D. **a, Effect of samarium (Sm) addition on the microstructure and tensile properties of Al–20%Si casting alloy. Int. J. Metalcast. 12, 554–564 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-017-0193-0
Q.L. Li, J.B. Li, B.Q. Li, Y.Q. Zhu, D.X. Liu, Y.F. Lan, S. Wang, Mechanical properties and microstructural evolution of Yb-modified Al–20%Si alloy. J. Mater. Eng. Perform. 27, 3498–3507 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-018-3456-x
M. Zuo, D.G. Zhao, Z.Q. Wang, H.R. Geng, Complex modification of hypereutectic Al–Si alloy by a new Al-YP master alloy. Met. Mater. Int. 21, 646–651 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12540-015-4535-2
M.F. Kilicaslan, W.R. Lee, T.H. Lee, Y. Sohn, S.J. Hong, Effect of Sc addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of as-atomized and extruded Al–20Si alloys. Mater. Lett. 71, 164–167 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2011.12.050
J. Rakhmonov, G. Timelli, G. Basso, Interaction of Ca, P trace elements and Sr modification in AlSi5Cu1Mg alloys. J. Therm. Anal. Calorim. 133, 123–133 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-018-7111-4
M.G. Day, A. Hellawell, The microstructure and crystallography of aluminium—silicon eutectic alloys. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. Ser. A. Math. Phys. Sci. 305(1483), 473–491 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.1968.0128
S.Z. Lu, A. Hellawell, The mechanism of silicon modification in aluminum-silicon alloys: impurity induced twinning. Metall. Trans. A 18(10), 1721–1733 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.1968.0128
S.Z. Lu, A. Hellawell, Growth mechanisms of silicon in Al–Si alloys. J. Cryst. Growth 73(2), 316–328 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-0248(85)90308-2
J. Barrirero, J.H. Li, M. Engstler, N. Ghafoor, P. Schumacher, M. Odén, F. Mücklich, Cluster formation at the Si/liquid interface in Sr and Na modified Al–Si alloys. Scripta Mater. 117, 16–19 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scriptamat.2016.02.018
J.H. Li, X.D. Wang, T.H. Ludwig, Y. Tsunekawa, L. Arnberg, J.Z. Jiang, P. Schumacher, Modification of eutectic Si in Al–Si alloys with Eu addition. Acta Mater. 84, 153–163 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2014.10.064
J.H. Li, F. Hage, M. Wiessner, L. Romaner, D. Scheiber, B. Sartory, Q. Ramasse, P. Schumacher, The roles of Eu during the growth of eutectic Si in Al–Si alloys. Sci. Rep. 5(1), 1–10 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep13802
K. Nogita, S.D. McDonald, A.K. Dahle, Eutectic modification of Al–Si alloys with rare earth metals. Mater. Trans. 45(2), 323–326 (2004). https://doi.org/10.2320/matertrans.45.323
L. Chang, Y.M. Ding, B.X. Guo, J. Ding, X.C. **a, Y. Tang, C. Li, X.M. Sun, J.J. Guo, K.H. Song, L.S. Wang, K.P. Zhou, X.G. Chen, Y.C. Liu, Modification mechanism and tensile property of Al–9Si–0.4Mg–0.1Cu alloy. Mater. Charact. 184, 111693 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchar.2021.111693
F. Mao, G.Y. Yan, Z.J. Xuan, Z.Q. Cao, T.M. Wang, Effect of Eu addition on the microstructures and mechanical properties of A356 aluminum alloys. J. Alloys Compd. 650, 896–906 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2015.06.266
J.S. Rao, J. Zhang, R.X. Liu, J. Zheng, D.D. Yin, Modification of eutectic Si and the microstructure in an Al–7Si alloy with barium addition. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 728, 72–79 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2018.05.010
X.C. **a, Q.F. Zhao, Y.Y. Peng, P. Zhang, L.H. Liu, J. Ding, X.D. Luo, L.S. Wang, L.X. Huang, H.J. Zhang, X.G. Chen, Precipitation behavior and mechanical performances of A3562 alloy treated by Al–Sr–La composite refinement-modification agent. J Alloys Compd. 818, 153370 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2019.153370
Q. Cai, C.L. Mendis, I.T.H. Chang, Z.Y. Fan, Microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of new die-cast Al–Si–Mg–Mn alloys. Mater. Des. 187, 108394 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2019.108394
W.X. Shi, B. Gao, G.F. Tu, S.W. Li, Effect of Nd on microstructure and wear resistance of hypereutectic Al–20% Si alloy. J. Alloy. Compd. 508(2), 480–485 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2010.08.098
M. Albu, A. Pal, C. Gspan, R.C. Picu, F. Hofer, G. Kothleitner, Self-organized Sr leads to solid state twinning in nano-scaled eutectic Si phase. Sci. Rep. 6(1), 1–7 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep31635
J.H. Li, F.S. Hage, X.F. Liu, Q. Ramasse, P. Schumacher, Revealing heterogeneous nucleation of primary Si and eutectic Si by AlP in hypereutectic Al–Si alloys. Sci. Rep. 6(1), 1–8 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep25244
X.Z. Zhu, S.H. Wang, X.X. **, X.F. Liu, S.X. Ji, Morphologically templated nucleation of primary Si on AlP in hypereutectic Al–Si alloys. J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 100, 36–45 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmst.2021.06.009
C. Sumalatha, P.C. Rao, V.S. Rao, M.S.K. Deepak, Effect of grain refiner, modifier and graphene on the mechanical properties of hypereutectic Al–Si alloys by experimental and numerical investigation. Mater. Today: Proc. 62, 3891–3900 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2022.04.544
P. Yan, Y. Liu, W. Mao et al., Effect of antimony on the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of hypereutectic Al–Si rheological high pressure die casting alloy. Int. J. Metalcast. (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-021-00718-0
F. Mao, L. Ou, Y. Qiao et al., Comparison of silicon phase in Al–20Si Alloys and Zn–27Al–3Si alloys with strontium addition. Int. J. Metalcast. 15, 1260–1274 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-020-00551-x
G.K. Sigworth, R.J. Donahue, The metallurgy of aluminum alloys for structural high-pressure die castings. Int. J. Metalcast. (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-020-00535-x
J. Scepanovic, V. Asanovic, S. Herenda et al., Microstructural characteristics, mechanical properties, fracture analysis and corrosion behavior of hypereutectic Al–13.5Si alloy. Int. J. Metalcast. 13, 700–714 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-019-00315-2
J. Wang, Z. Guo, W.X. Hu, J.C. Li, S.M. **ong, On the growth mechanism of the primary silicon particle in a hypereutectic Al-20 wt% Si alloy using synchrotron X-ray tomography. Mater. Des. 137, 176–183 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2017.09.062
F. Mao, S.Z. Wei, C. Chen, C. Zhang, X.D. Wang, Z.Q. Cao, Modification of the silicon phase and mechanical properties in Al–40Zn–6Si alloy with Eu addition. Mater. Des. 186, 108268 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2019.108268
D.L. Shu, The Mechanical Properties of Engineering Materials (China Machine Press, Bei**g, 2004)
Acknowledgments
The authors thank the Key Scientific and Technological Project of Henan Province (NO. 232102231018), Frontier Exploration Projects of Longmen Laboratory (NO. LMQYTSKT005) and the National Key R&D Program of China (NO. 2020YFB2008400). The authors wish to take this opportunity to thank the support of Provincial and Ministerial Co-construction of Collaborative Innovation Center for Non-ferrous Metal New Materials and Advanced Processing Technology.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Guo, J., Mao, F., Zhang, G. et al. Dual Modification of Hypereutectic Al–Si Alloy and Spheroidization Mechanism of Primary Silicon with Eu Addition. Inter Metalcast (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-023-01198-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-023-01198-0