Grain misorientation in thixo-billets prepared by melt stirring

Microstructural evolution of the electromagnetically stirred Al-Si alloy is investigated by means of optical and electron microscopy. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis of the stirred and unstirred cast billets has shown stirring to generate local misorientation within individual solid particles. This is an indication of growing dendrites undergoing plastic deformation during the course of SSM slurry preparation. The formation of dislocations and their subsequent rearrangement into subgrain boundaries has been shown by EBSD analysis and TEM studies of thin foil specimens respectively.