Characterization of the dissolution of the Al2Cu phase in two Al-Si-Cu-Mg casting alloys using calorimetry

The dissolution of Al2CU in two Al-Si-Mg-Cu aluminum alloys was investigated by calorimetric analysis and metallographic measurements. Both alloys had similar compositions but very different microstructures. Alloy A was produced by gravity casting and alloy B by thixoforming, The main goal of this research was to analyze the possibility of monitoring the dissolution of the Al2CU phase through calorimetric analysis, relating the dissolution of this intermetallic phase with energy variations of the endothermic peaks during differential scanning calorimeter runs. The results obtained were in agreement with metallographic measurements. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.