Phase field model of microstructure formation during cooling slope slurry generation of novel Al-15Mg2Si-4.5Si composite

Abstract

Abstract The present study discusses the development of a two-dimensional phase field model of semi solid microstructure evolution of the novel Al-15Mg2Si-4.5Si composite during cooling slope rheoprocessing. The superheated melt of the said composite undergoes partial solidification during its shear flow over the slope free surface, prior to get collected within the isothermal slurry holding furnace. Seed undercooling based nucleation model is adopted in the present PF model to simulate slurry microstructure of the composite. Experimentally determined cooling rate values are considered to simulate slurry microstructure for different process conditions. Micrographs of melt samples collected during experimentation establishes the developed PF model as an accurate microstructure prediction tool for the composite slurry. Apart from morphological features such as size and degree of sphericity values of the evolving primary Mg2Si and α-Al grains, the model predictions includes melt temperature as well as solid content at any given instant of slurry processing.