The main goal of the presented work was to determine the relationship between changes in the shape of the derivative curve and the microstructure of Zn-Al-Cu alloys before and after modification. To describe the phenomena that occur in the material during solidification as a result of the modification in the chemical composition, the thermal-derivative analysis method was applied. This method allows to describe and interpret the kinetics of crystallisation of the tested alloys. To describe the morphology and phase composition, light and electron microscopy (SEM, TEM) was also used. The modification of the hypereutectic Zn-Al-Cu alloys with the addition of Ce causes a reduction in the size α' + η eutectics and change in the morphology of the α' phase precipitates from dendritic to “tweed”.

Micro-defects detection in solidified castings of aluminum alloy has always been a hot topic, and the method employed is mainly depends upon the size and shape of the specimens. In present paper, the amount and distribution characters of micro-defects in a series of 2219 aluminum alloy ingot, with diameters of φ1380 mm, φ1250 mm, φ1000 mm, φ850 mm and φ630 mm, prepared by direct chill casting were investigated by means of metallographic, respectively. Samples were cut along the radius direction from slices in the steady casting stage. The result reveals that typical micro-defects are consist of inclusions, porosity and shrinkage under optical microscope, and the total amount of micro-defect per unit area in an ingot slightly decreased with the increase of its diameter. Meanwhile, defects were classified into 2 types according to its size, the results suggesting that defects greater than 40 μm account for the largest proportion among the counted two kinds of defects. Moreover, the distribution of defects greater than 40 μm along the radial direction was detected, its amount increases as its distance from the side, indicating that the micro-defects greater than 40 μm distributed the most in the center zone of ingots and the larger the ingot diameter, the more obvious the tendency was.

Equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) was used as a technique for severe plastic deformation (SPD) on Al alloy AA3004. This technique produced fully dense materials of refined grain structure to sub-micrometer dimensions and advanced mechanical properties. The ECAP processing of samples was conducted as 1 to 4 passes through the die at room temperature. We present the results of the studied homogeneity evolution with the ECAP treatment. Furthermore, a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used for examination of the microstructure changes in samples undergone from 1 to 4 passes. The microhardness-HV increased upon each ECAP pass. The resulting micro-hardness evolution was attributed to crystalline microstructure modifications, such as the d-spacing (studied by X-ray Diffraction-XRD) depending on the number of ECAP pressings. The microcrystalline changes (grain refining evaluated from the Scanning Electron Microscopy – SEM images) were found to be related to the HV, following the Hall-Petch equation.

The paper describes modification to Fm3–m (space group no. 225) lattice of aluminium based α-solid solution observed in Zn-Al alloys required to properly correlate quantitative data from X-ray diffraction analysis with results obtained from quantitative scanning electron microscopy image analysis and those predicted from Zn-Al binary phase diagram. Results suggests that 14 at.% of Zn as a solute atom should be introduced in crystal lattice of aluminium to obtain correct estimation of phase quantities determined by quantitative X-ray diffraction analysis. It was shown that this modification holds for Cu mould cast as well as annealed and water-cooled samples of Zn-3wt.%. Al and Zn-5wt.% Al.

This article deals with the fatigue properties of newly used AlZn10Si8Mg aluminium alloy where the main aim was to determine the

fatigue strength and compare it with the fatigue strength of AlSi7Mg0.3 secondary aluminium alloys which is used in the automotive

industry for cyclically loaded components. AlZn10Si8Mg aluminium alloy, also called UNIFONT 90, is self-hardening (without heat

treatments), which contributes to economic efficiency. This is one of the main reasons why is compared, and may be an alternative

replacement for AlSi7Mg0.3 alloy which is heat treated to achieve required mechanical properties. The experiment results show that the

fatigue properties of AlZn10Si8Mg alloy are comparable, if not better, than AlSi7Mg0.3 alloy. Fatigue properties of AlZn10Si8Mg alloy

are achieved after seven days of natural ageing, immediately after casting and achieving value of fatigue strength is caused by structural

components formed during solidification of the melt.

Two MgLiAl alloys of composition 4.5% Li and 1.5% Al (in wt.%) composed of α phase and of 9% Li, 1.5% Al composed of α (hcp) + β (bcc) phases were subjected to twist channel angular pressing (TCAP) deformation. Such deformation of α + β alloys caused less effective grain refinement than that of single α phase alloy. However, with increasing number of passes, grain size of single α phase alloy increased and that of β phase in two phase α + β alloy also grew, which suggested the effect of dynamic recrystallization. TEM studies allowed identifying particles of Li2MgAl phase of size of few μm. {001}<100> texture was observed in extruded alloy. Texture studies of extruded and TCAPed single phase hcp alloy indicated texture with {101 – 0} plane perpendicular to the extrusion direction and {0002} plane parallel to the extrusion direction. Duplex α + β alloys showed poor texture development.