Composition and microhardness of Si–Ge solid solution precipitates in Al–Si–Ge alloys solidified during centrifugation
Abstract The chemical composition of precipitates, the Knoop microhardness of the precipitates and of the matrix of Al–Si–Ge alloys solidified during centrifugation at 7 ×  g were investigated. The initial content of (Si + Ge) was (10 + 10), (20 + 20) or (25 + 25) at.%. The Knoop microhardness of the ingots varied with height in the ingot. This variation is attributed to sedimentation of Si–Ge during solidification. Chemical analysis showed that the maximum Si:Ge ratio in the precipitates for Al–10 at.% Si–10 at.% Ge alloy was about 92:8, and decreased with increasing Si and Ge content in ingots. The Si:Ge ratio and Knoop micro hardness also varied throughout each precipitate. The composition was constant along precipitates of alloy solidified without centrifugation. A variation in Knoop microhardness along the precipitates was attributed to this composition variation. The variation of the maximum Si:Ge ratio in the precipitates in ingots of different composition solidified with centrifugation is attributed to nonequilibrium conditions of solidification induced by decreased mass transport in the melt adjacent to the growing precipitates. The variation of Si and Ge along the Si –Ge precipitates is created by convection of the melt during solidification with centrifugation.
Crystallization in the Al-Si, Al-Ge, and Al-Si-Ge systems at centrifugation
Crystallization in the Al-Si, Al-Ge, and Al-Si-Ge systems at centrifugation is studied. Of them, the Al-Si system is the least prone to sedimentation. In the others, sedimentation considerably changes the structure of the alloys at the bottom of the ingots compared with their top. At certain concentrations of the constituents, the number of crystallites in the lower part of the ingot is larger than in the upper part and the crystallites at the bottom are coarser than at the top. The Si: Ge atomic ratio in the Al-Si-Ge system changes by a factor of 2–12 against the initial ratio (1: 1) when the (Si + Ge) concentration changes as a result of centrifugation. Also, this ratio changes over the crystal surface (in the samples not subjected to centrifugation, this ratio remains unchanged over the surface). Crystallites in the Al-Si-Ge system are covered by Ge.
CALPHAD : calculation of phase diagrams : a comprehensive guide
Chapter headings: Introduction. History of CALPHAD. Basic Thermodynamics. Experimental Determination of Thermodynamic Quantities and Phase Diagrams. Thermodynamic Models for Solution and Compound Phases. Phase Stabilities. Ordering Models. The Role of Magnetic Gibbs Energy. Computational Methods. The Application of CALPHAD Methods. Combining Thermodynamics and Kinetics. Future Developments.