Mechanism of Fe-rich phase supercooling induced by CDS process to regulating microstructure and strengthen properties of Al-Si-Fe alloy

Excessive iron in aluminum alloys forms compounds that weaken their strength and workability. Therefore, controlling the morphology of the Fe-rich phase is vital for developing strong, high-quality aluminum alloys. This research explores the controlled diffusion solidification (CDS) process, an innovative approach designed to optimize the morphology and distribution of the Fe-rich phase, thereby enhancing the alloy properties beyond what conventional methods can achieve. Specifically, the CDS process uniquely modifies the solidification behavior of the alloy, suppressing the growth of the primary Fe-rich phase and enhancing the overall properties. This demonstrating the ability of process to refine microstructural characteristics effectively. The experimental results confirm the presence of primary Si and Al3Fe in the CDS process samples. Consequently, the nucleation of Al3Fe in the precursor alloy leads to the concentration of Fe solutes reduce, impeding the nucleation and growth of the primary Fe-rich phase during the subsequent solidification process. The key factors are temperature difference between two mixed alloy and mass ratio of precursor alloys. The mass ratio influences the precipitation sequence of the precursor alloys, while the difference of temperature and concentration induces the undercooling necessary for nucleation. The study reveals that an optimal mass ratio of 4:1 in the CDS process achieves the best mechanical properties with a 73.78 % increase in ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and a 107.77 % increase in elongation (UL) compared to conventional casting. The findings provide a theoretical basis for controlling the Fe-rich phase evolution, significantly augmenting the performance of Al-Si-Fe alloys. The findings not only enhancing the optimizing fundamental reactions in the CDS process for other alloy systems but also enriching the broader field of materials science. •At a 4:1 mix ratio, the Fe-rich phase refines optimally, yielding a tensile strength of 141.7 MPa and 4.0% elongation.•In CDS, primary phases precipitate from the binary diagram; ternary eutectics form as temperature drops to the eutectic point post-blending.•During CDS mixing, subcooling regions boost nucleation, increasing nuclei and slowing grain growth.