Comparing the melt-spun nanostructured aluminum 6061 foils with conventional direct chill ingot

The properties of nanostructured Al6061 foils, produced by melt spinning technique at a cooling rate of about 107 K/s, were investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD) and microhardness testing. The properties of nanostructured foils were then compared with those of direct-chill (DC) casting. The results show that the formation of nanoparticles of Mg2Si (about 50 nm in radius), the nanograins of about 61.8 nm and the ultra-fine dendrites, having a nanoarm spacing about 80–100 nm, can significantly refine the structure and, in turn, enhance the properties of nanostructured foils comparing to the DC cast ones. Besides, the produced nanodendrites can extremely lead to structure homogeneity.