Microstructure and growth morphology of Frank-Kasper phase in rapidly solidified Mg₃₂Al₁₇Zn₃₂ ternary alloys

In the present investigation, the microstructures and growth morphology of Mg₃₂(Al,Zn)₄₉ Frank-Kasper phase in rapidly solidified Mg₃₂Al₁₇Zn₃₂ ternary alloys were studied in detail. The samples were characterised by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and energy dispersive spectrum (EDS). The results show that the microstructures mainly consist of Mg₃₂(Al,Zn)₄₉ Frank-Kasper phase and interdendritic Mg-rich Φ-phase. Under rapid solidification condition, Mg₃₂(Al,Zn)₄₉ Frank-Kasper phase reveals a perfect faceted dendritic characteristic in the shape of a three-fold symmetric microstructure with doublet tips in the axes direction. Observations for fracture surfaces show that the growth morphology of Mg₃₂(Al,Zn) ₄₉ grains was truncated cubic, and its growth mechanism was also discussed.