Crystal growth of the primary silicon in an Al-16 wt % Si alloy

Studies on the crystallographic growth habit of primary silicon crystals in an Al-16 wt% Si alloy were carried out by X-ray micro focus Laue analysis and ECP (electron channelling pattern) analysis. The plate-like primary silicon crystals grow by the same mechanism as that for germanium dendrites, i.e. the TPRE (twin plane re-entrant edges) mechanism. The spherical primary silicon crystal in sodium treated melts is composed of several pyramidal grains with tops at the centre of the sphere. Many of these grains have a twin relation to each other. The sodium enriched regions are found at the boundaries of these pyramidal silicon grains. The external surfaces of the spherical primary crystals exhibit regular crystal facets. The surface facets are most frequently parallel to {111} plane but there are also some facets parallel to other less densely packed planes such as {100}, {211} and so on.