Structural inhomogeneity during production and processing of rapidly solidified Al-6Mg-5Fe alloy

A study of the structural changes occurring during the processing of a rapidly solidified powder aluminum alloy has been performed. Considerable microstructural differences have been noted from among different powder particles and from within the same particle. Three typical microstructures were observed; small particles exhibited a microcellular structure, medium-sized particles a dual morphology of microcellular and cellular structure, whilst in the large particles coarse intermetallics were formed during solidification, acting as nucleation sites for a cellular aluminum structure. Apart from alpha -Al three other phases were detected in the powder microstructure, Fe sub(4)Al sub(13), (Fe,Mn)Al sub(6) and an unidentified phase termed "F".