Flake graphite cast iron was hot-dip coated with pure aluminium or aluminium alloys (AlSi11 and AlTi5). The study aimed at determining

the influence of bath composition on the thickness, microstructure and phase composition of the coatings. The analysis was conducted by

means of an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope with an EDS spectrometer. It was found that the overall thickness of a

coating was greatly dependent on the chemical composition of a bath. The coatings consisted of an outer layer and an inner intermetallic

layer, the latter with two zones and dispersed graphite. In all the cases considered, the zone in the inner intermetallic layer adjacent to the

cast iron substrate contained the Al5Fe2 phase with small amount of silicon; the interface between this phase and the cast iron substrate

differed substantially, depending on the bath composition. In the coatings produced by hot-dipping in pure aluminium the zone adjacent to

the outer layer had a composition similar to that produced from an AlTi5 bath, the Al3Fe phase was identified in this zone. The Al3Fe also

contained silicon but its amount was lower than that in the Al5Fe2. In the coatings produced by hot-dipping in AlSi11, the zone adjacent to

the outer layer contained the Al3FeSi phase. The analysis results showed that when AlSi11 alloy was applied, the growth mode of the inner

layer changed from inwards to outwards. The interface between the Al5Fe2 phase and the cast iron substrate was flat and the zone of this

phase was very thin. Locally, there were deep penetrations of the Al5FeSi phase into the outer layer, and the interface between this phase

and the outer layer was irregular. Immersion in an AlTi5 bath caused that the inner intermetallic layer was thicker than when pure

aluminium or AlSi11 alloy baths were used; also, some porosity was observed in this layer; and finally, the interface between the inner

layer and the cast iron substrate was the most irregular.

Al- and Al/Zn-enriched layers containing intermetallic phases were deposited on the Mg substrate by heating the Mg specimens in contact with the powdered materials in a vacuum furnace. The Al-enriched surface layers were produced using Al powder, whereas the Al/Znenriched layers were obtained from an 80 wt.% Al + 20 wt.% Zn powder mixture. The microstructure and composition of the layers were analyzed by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The results showed that the Al-enriched layer comprised an Mg17Al12 intermetallic phase and a solid solution of Al in Mg. The layer obtained from the Al+Zn powder mixture was composed of Mg-Al-Zn intermetalic phases and a solid solution of Al and Zn in Mg. Adding 20% of Zn into the Al powder resulted in the formation of a considerably thicker layer. Moreover, the hardness of the surface layers was much higher than that of the Mg substrate.

This paper discusses the joining of AZ91 magnesium alloy with AlSi17 aluminium alloy by compound casting. Molten AZ91 was cast at

650oC onto a solid AlSi17 insert placed in a steel mould under normal atmospheric conditions. Before casting, the mould with the insert

inside was heated up to about 370oC. The bonding zone forming between the two alloys because of diffusion had a multiphase structure

and a thickness of about 200 µm. The microstructure and composition of the bonding zone were analysed using optical microscopy,

scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results indicate that the bonding zone adjacent to the AlSi17

alloy was composed of an Al3Mg2 intermetallic phase with not fully consumed primary Si particles, surrounded by a rim of an Mg2Si

intermetallic phase and fine Mg2Si particles. The bonding zone near the AZ91 alloy was composed of a eutectic (an Mg17Al12 intermetallic

phase and a solid solution of Al and Si in Mg). It was also found that the compound casting process slightly affected the AZ91alloy

microstructure; a thin layer adjacent to the bonding zone of the alloy was enriched with aluminium.

Directional solidification technique is an important research instrument to study solidification of metals and alloys. In the paper the model

[6,7,8] of directional solidification in special Artemis-3 facility was presented. The current work aimed to propose the ease and efficient

way in calibrating the facility. The introduced M coefficient allowed effective calibration and implementation of defined thermal

conditions. The specimens of AlSi alloys with Fe-rich intermetallics and especially deleterious β-Al5FeSi were processed by controlled

solidification velocity, temperature gradient and cooling rate.

Al-enriched layer was formed on a magnesium substrate with use of casting. The magnesium melt was cast into a steel mould with an

aluminium insert placed inside. Different conditions of the casting process were applied. The reaction between the molten magnesium and

the aluminium piece during casting led to the formation of an Al-enriched surface layer on the magnesium substrate. The thickness of the

layer was dependent on the casting conditions. In all fabricated layers the following phases were detected: a solid solution of Mg in Al,

Al3Mg2, Mg17Al12 and a solid solution of Mg in Al. When the temperature of the melt and the mould was lower (variant 1 – 670o

C and 310 o

; variant 2 – 680o

C and 310o

C, respectively) the unreacted thin layer of aluminium was observed in the outer zone. Applying higher

temperatures of the melt (685o

C) and the mould (325o

C) resulted in deep penetration of aluminium into the magnesium substrate. Areas

enriched in aluminium were locally observed. The Al-enriched layers composed mainly of Mg-Al intermetallic phases have hardness from

187-256 HV0.1.

In Al-Si alloy the iron is the most common impurity and with presence of other elements in alloy creates the intermetallic compounds,

which decreases mechanical properties and increases of porosity. The cause of the negative effect of intermetallic particles on the

mechanical properties is that it is more easily break off the tension load as the aluminium matrix or small particles of silicon. By adding

suitable alloying elements, also known as iron correctors, is possible to reduce this harmful effect.

In the article is evaluated influence of manganese on microstructure with performed EDX analysis selected intermetallic phases and tensile

test and measurement of length of Al5FeSi phase. For realization experiments was used AlSi7Mg0.3 alloy with increased iron content.

Manganese was added in the amount 0.3 wt. %, 0.6 wt. %, 0.8 wt.% and 1,2 wt. %. From performed measurements it has been concluded,

that increased amount of manganese, i.e. Mn/Fe ratio, does not have significant influence on mechanical properties AlSi7Mg0.3 alloy in

the melted state.

This study aimed to develop Fe/Al multilayered metallic/intermetallic composites produced by hot pressing under an air atmosphere. Analyses were carried out on the composite plates made up of alternatively situated sheets of AA1050 aluminum alloy and DN04 low carbon steel, which were annealed at 903 K for 2, 5, and 10 h. Annealing was performed to obtain reaction layers of distinct thickness. The samples were examined using X-Ray diffraction and scanning and transmission electron microscope equipped with an energy-dispersive X-Ray spectrometer. To correlate the structural changes with mechanical properties, microhardness measurements in near-the-interface layers were performed. All the reaction layers grew with parabolic kinetics with η-Al5Fe2 intermetallic phase as the dominant component. After annealing for 5 and 10 hours, a thin sublayer of θ-Al13Fe4 phase was also detected.

Al2Cu phase has been obtained by melting pure metals in the electric arc furnace. It has been found that the intermetallic phase undergoes selective corrosion in the H3PO4 aqueous solutions. Aluminium is dissolved, the surface becomes porous and enriched with copper. The corrosion rate equals to 371 ± 17 g·m–2·day–1 (aerated solution) and 284 ± 9 g·m–2·day–1 (deaerated solution). The surface of Al2Cu phase after selective corrosion was characterised by using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It was found that the surface area of the specimens increases with temperature due to higher corrosion rate and is between 2137 and 3896 cm2.

Sodium orthovanadate was tested as a corrosion inhibitor of intermetallic Al2Cu in 1 M H3PO4. The Al2Cu – H3PO4 – Na3VO4 system was studied using the following methods: inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, polarisation and open circuit potential. It was found that the corrosion rate decreased as the inhibitor concentration increased. The highest inhibition efficiency 99% was obtained when sodium orthovanadate initial concentration was equal to 100 mM, pH = 1.11, due to precipitation of a protective layer of insoluble salt, containing vanadium, phosphorus, sodium and oxygen, on the surface. At pH = 0.76 the protective layer was not formed and inhibition efficiency decreased to 76%. Selective corrosion of the intermetallic phase caused a significant increase of an electric double layer capacitance and decrease of a charge transfer resistance.

This article deals with the effect of manganese that is the most applied element to eliminate the negative effect of iron in the investigated alloy AlSi7Mg0.3. In this time are several methods that are used for elimination harmful effect of iron. The most used method is elimination by applying the additive elements, so-called iron correctors. The influence of manganese on the morphology of excluded ironbased intermetallic phases was analysed at various iron contents (0.4; 0.8 and 1.2 wt. %). The effect of manganese was assessed in additions of 0.1; 0.2; 0.4 and 0.6 wt. % Mn. The morphology of iron intermetallic phases was assessed using electron microscopy (SEM) and EDX analysis. The increase of iron content in investigated alloys caused the formation of more intermetallic phases and this effect has been more significant with higher concentrations of manganese. The measurements carried out also showed that alloys with the same Mn/Fe ratio can manifest different structures and characteristics of excluded iron-based intermetallic phases, which might, at the same time, be related to different resulting mechanical properties.

The paper presents an analysis of a selected grade of high silicon cast iron intended for work in corrosive and abrasive conditions. The text describes its microstructure taking into account the process of crystallization, TDA analysis, EDS, XRD and the chemical composition analysis. In order to determine the phase composition, X-ray diffraction tests were carried out. The tests were executed on a Panalytical X'Pert PRO X-ray diffractometer with filtration of radiation from a lamp with copper anode and PIXcel 3D detector on the deflected beam axis. Completed tests allowed to describe the microstructure with detailed consideration of intermetallic phases present in the alloy. Results of the analysis of the examined alloy clearly show that we deal with intermetallic phases of Fe3Si, Fe5Si3 types, as well as silicon ferrite and crystals of silicon. In the examined alloy, we observed the phenomenon of segregation of carbon, which, as a result of this process, enriches the surface of silicon crystals, not creating a compound with it. Moreover, the paper demonstrates capability for crystallization of spheroidal graphite in the examined alloy despite lack of elements that contribute to balling in the charge materials.