DENDRITE SPACING STUDIES IN ALUMINUM-SILICON AND ALUMINUM-SILICON-COPPER ALLOYS

ARES, ALICIA;; RÍOS, CARLOS;; RUBENS CARAM; SCHVEZOV, CARLOS

Guaruja – SP - Brasil

Congreso; 3 International School on Crystal Growth and Advanced Materials. V Encontro da Sociedade Brasileira de Crescimento de Cristais; 2002

Universidade do Campina

Aluminum alloys containing silicon and copper were directionally solidified in a range of velocities and thermal gradients producing dendritic structures. The primary and secondary spacings were measured and correlated with the main solidification parameters. The results were also compared with the main theoretical models from the literature. The results are presented and discussed in the frame of the models available. As a main conclusion of the present investigation the results agree with the general observations reported in the literature that an increase in the growth velocity produce a decrease in the primary spacing, and an increase in the local solidification time produce an increase in the secondary spacing.