Modification effect of pure rare earth metal La on as-cast hypereutectic Al-17%Si alloys

1　INTRODUCTIONImprovedpropertiesandlightweightareincreas inglybecomingthemaingoalsofautomotiveandaerospaceindustries[1] .Forthesakeofachievingthesecharacteristics,manyeffortshavebeenfocusedonaluminumalloysandtheirpropertiesundersevereconditions.Applyingaluminumalloystoautomotivepartssuchaspistons ,cylinderliners ,engineblocksanddifferentpartsofthermalmotors ,combinativeimprovementofthestrengthtomassratio ,wearre sistance,heatresistance ,andlowheatexpansionisanimportantgoal[2 ] .Al Siallo…

Modification effect of pure rare earth metal La on as-cast hypereutectic Al-17%Si alloys

The modification effect of La addition on the microstructural characteristics of hypereutectic Al 17%Si alloys was studied. Microstructures were examined using conventional optical microscopy and electron probe X ray microanalyzer. The morphology of Si crystal was evaluated by quantitative metallographical analysis. The results indicate that simultaneous modification to both primary and eutectic Si crystals is obtained by the addition of pure rare earth metal La in the hypereutectic Al 17%Si alloys while the optimal effect of La is obtained at a rather large scale. La begins to form intermetallic compound when its concentration exceeds approximately 1%, which appears as dark platelets in etched specimens. Electron probe X ray microanalysis experiment shows that La rich platelet could be represented as Al 1Si 2La 2 consisting of LaSi 2 and some unknown ternary Al x Si y La phase.