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Effect of cooling rate on the microstructure and solidification characteristics of Al2024 alloy using computer-aided thermal analysis technique

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Abstract

The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of different cooling rates on the microstructure and solidification parameters of 2024 aluminum alloy. Solidification characteristics are recognized from the cooling curve and its first and second derivative curves which have been plotted using thermal analysis technique. In this study, a mold having high cooling rate was designed and used to simulate the direct-chill casting process. The results of thermal analysis show that the characteristic parameters of Al2024 alloy are influenced by cooling rate. The cooling rates used in the present study range from 0.4 to 17.5 °C s−1. Increasing the cooling rate affects the undercooling parameters both in liquidus and eutectic solidification regions. Investigations showed that solidification parameters such as nucleation temperature, recalescence undercooling temperature, and range of solidification temperature are influenced by variation of cooling rates. Microstructural evaluation was carried out to present the correlation between the cooling rate and dendrite arm spacing.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. M. Malekan for his assistance. Also, they would like to acknowledge the Center of Excellence for High Strength Alloys Technology (CEHSAT) of Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Excellent for High Strength Alloys Technology (CEHSAT), School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Narmak, 16846-13114, Tehran, Iran

    M. H. Ghoncheh, S. G. Shabestari & M. H. Abbasi

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  1. M. H. Ghoncheh
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  2. S. G. Shabestari
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  3. M. H. Abbasi
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Correspondence to S. G. Shabestari.

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Ghoncheh, M.H., Shabestari, S.G. & Abbasi, M.H. Effect of cooling rate on the microstructure and solidification characteristics of Al2024 alloy using computer-aided thermal analysis technique. J Therm Anal Calorim 117, 1253–1261 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-014-3867-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-014-3867-3

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