Effect of solidification rate on the microstructure and microhardness of a melt-spun Al–8Si–1Sb alloy

The properties of rapidly solidified hypoeutectic Al–8Si–1Sb alloy, produced by melt-spinning technique at a different solidification rates, were investigated using the X-ray diffraction (XRD), the optical microscopy (OM), the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) together with the energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and the microhardness technique. The properties of rapidly solidified ribbons were then compared with those of the chill-casting alloy. The results show that rapid solidification has influence on the phase constitution of the hypoeutectic Al–8Si–1Sb alloy. The phases present in the hypoeutectic Al–8Si–1Sb ingot alloy were determined to be α-Al, fcc Si and intermetallic AlSb phases whereas only α-Al and fcc Si phases were identified in the melt-spinning alloy. The rapid solidification has a significant effect on the microstructure of the hypoeutectic Al–8Si–1Sb alloy. Particle size in the microstructure of the ribbons is too small to compare with particle size in the microstructure of the ingot alloy. Moreover, the significant change in hardness occurs that is attributed to changes in the microstructure.