Hypoeutectic Al–Fe Alloys: Formation and Characterization of Intermetallics by Dissolution of the Al Matrix

A careful technique of dissolution of the Al-rich phase is conducted in hypoeutectic Al–Fe alloys samples, which were solidified under a wide range of cooling rates envisaging deeper investigations on the skeletal arrangement of either Al6Fe intermetallic fibers or Al3Fe plates, and their dependence on solidification thermal parameters. The experiments were carried out with hypoeutectic Al–Fe alloys, subjected to equilibrium solidification from the melt, steady-state solidification (Bridgman growth), transient directional solidification in water-cooled and air-cooled molds and rapid solidification (laser remelting), thus permitting a significant range of microstructural scales to be examined. It is shown that Al6Fe prevails for cooling rates >1.5 K/s, and that a short zone of coexistence of Al3Fe and Al6Fe phases exists for cooling rates <1.5 K/s, which is rapidly replaced with the prevalence of Al3Fe intermetallics with further decrease in cooling rate. In contrast, even with high values of cooling rate, typical of the laser remelting process, the Al–Al3Fe eutectic is shown to prevail.