Effect of Cooling Rate on the Secondary Dendritic Spacing of a Horizontally Solidified 6xxx Series Aluminum Alloy

The 6xxx series alloys [Al-Mg-Si] are valued for their excellent mechanical and electrical properties, making them suitable for power conductors in non-steel core transmission and distribution lines. This study investigates the growth of the dendritic microstructure in the Al-0.6wt%Mg-0.8wt%Si-0.2wt...

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Main Authors: Luane P. Marques, Suanny Q. Mesquita, André C. Maciel, Rogério B. Costa, Raquel S. França, Otavio L. Rocha, Ivaldo L. Ferreira
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Associação Brasileira de Metalurgia e Materiais (ABM); Associação Brasileira de Cerâmica (ABC); Associação Brasileira de Polímeros (ABPol) 2025-05-01
Series:Materials Research
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Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-14392025000200208&lng=en&tlng=en
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Summary:The 6xxx series alloys [Al-Mg-Si] are valued for their excellent mechanical and electrical properties, making them suitable for power conductors in non-steel core transmission and distribution lines. This study investigates the growth of the dendritic microstructure in the Al-0.6wt%Mg-0.8wt%Si-0.2wt%Fe alloy, specifically under horizontally solidified conditions. We employ both experimental techniques and mathematical modeling to predict the growth of the secondary dendritic arm spacing (SDAS). Samples of the as-cast alloy were obtained using a water-cooled horizontal solidification device. Our research starts with a mathematical model that was originally developed for solidification conditions close to thermodynamic equilibrium (low cooling rates - TR). We extend this model to address non-equilibrium conditions (high TR) by incorporating the reverse diffusion parameter β into our analysis. The experimental relationships for SDAS as functions of TR and local solidification time (tSL) are expressed with the equations: SDAS = constant × (TR)(-1/3) and SDAS = constant × (tSL)(1/3). We found a good agreement between the results from our iterative method and the experimental values. Additionally, we utilized a recently developed theoretical formulation for nonequilibrium nucleation to predict the Gibbs-Thomson coefficient under these conditions.
ISSN:1516-1439