Real-time study of the atomic structure and multiphase evolution of recycled Al alloys by 3D X-ray diffraction microscopy

Currently, million tons of recycled Al alloys are circulating around the world. The alloys contain multiple impurity elements and Fe is the most detrimental one, forming numerous brittle and irregularly-shaped Fe-rich intermetallics that harm the mechanical properties. We will study in real-time the atomic structure and multiphase evolution of the Fe intermetallics in 3 typical alloys: (1) Al-1.5%Fe, (2) Al-5%Cu-1.5%Fe and (3) Al-5%Cu-1.5%Fe-1%Si (weight percentage) in the solidification processes. The ESRF extreme bright source and the 3D X-ray diffraction microscopy can obtain the total scattering information at much shorter time scale in the liquid and partially crystalline state and the multiphase evolution afterwards. It will provide multiphase nucleation and growth information for the complex structures in the alloys from liquid to solid state which is critical for developing optimal strategies to remove or alter the Fe intermetallics into a less detrimental shape and morphology