Effect of sample size on intermetallic Al₂Cu microstructure and orientation evolution during directional solidification

Al-40% Cu hypereutectic alloy samples were successfully directionally solidified at a growth rate of 10 μm/s in different sizes (4 mm, 1.8 mm, and 0.45 mm thickness in transverse section). Using the serial sectioning technique, the three-dimensional (3D) microstructures of the primary intermetallic Al ₂Cu phase of the alloy can be observed with various growth patterns, L-shape, E-shape, and regular rectangular shape with respect to growth orientations of the (110) and (310) plane. The L-shape and regular rectangular shape of Al₂Cu phase are bounded by {110} facets. When the sample size was reduced from 4 mm to 0.45 mm, the solidified microstructures changed from multi-layer dendrites to single-layer dendrite along the growth direction, and then the orientation texture was at the plane (310). The growth mechanism for the regular faceted intermetallic Al₂Cu at different sample sizes was interpreted by the oriented attachment mechanism (OA). The experimental results showed that the directionally solidified Al-40% Cu alloy sample in a much smaller size can achieve a well-aligned morphology with a specific growth texture.