AI-12.5 wt % Si ribbons prepared by melt spinning

Aluminium-silicon alloy with composition 12.5 wt% Si was rapidly quenched from the melt at a cooling rate of about 10⁶ Ks^–1 using the melt-spinning technique. The resulting ribbons were investigated by resistivity measurements and X-ray diffraction. The resistivity of the 20 m thick ribbons was 26.6 cm. This is 4.4 times its bulk resistivity value. The activation energy calculated from isothermal ageing was 1.14 ± 0.1 eV. The limit of primary solid solubility is extended almost to the eutectic composition and the large supersaturation is relieved by thermal annealing.