Al-Ti-C master alloy was prepared by SHS (Self-propagating High temperature Synthesis)-melting technique. Effect of yttrium addition level on the microstructures of the master alloy was studied by XRD, SEM and EDS. The experimental results show that the addition of 1.0% Y is beneficial to the formation of TiC particles; Al-Ti-C-1.0Y consists of rod-like and blocky TiAl3, TiC, Al3Y and α-Al matrix. Y is found around TiC particles in Al-Ti-C-0.5Y master alloy while blocky (AlTiY) phase appears in Al-Ti-C-1.0Y master alloy. Al3Y with dendritic morphology and small blocky Al2Y except for TiC are found in Al-Ti-C-2-0Y master alloy.
Al-Ti-C-Y master alloy was prepared by combining SHS technique and melting-casting method. The microstructure of master alloy and its grain-refining effect on AZ31 alloy were investigated by means of OM, XRD, SEM and EDS. Experimental results indicated that the prepared master alloy consisted of α-Al, TiAl3, TiC and Al3Y phases, and exhibited good grain-refining performance of AZ31 alloy. Morphology of α-Mg changed from coarse dendritic to free equiaxed and the average grain size of α-Mg matrix reduced from the original 580 to 170 μm after adding 1.0 wt.% master alloy. The grain refining efficiency of Al-Ti-C-Y master alloy on AZ31 alloy was mainly attributed to heterogeneous nucleation of TiC particles and grain growth restriction of Al-Y compound or TiC at grain boundaries.
Mg70.8Zn28Nd1.2（mole fraction） alloy containing icosahedral quasicrystal phase （I-phase） was prepared under conventional metal casting conditions. The microstructure, phase constitution and phase structure of the alloy were investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, energy dispersive spectrometer （EDS） and transmission electron microscopy （TEM）. The resuits showed that the spherical phase in Mg70.8Zn28Nd1.2 alloy was a simple icosahedral quasicrystal with stoichiometric composition of Mg40Zn55Nd5 and quasi-lattice of 0.525 nm. In this research, the as-cast microstructure of Mg70.8Zn28Nd1.2 alloy mainly consisted of Mg40Zn55Nd5 icosahedral quasicrystal phase and Mg7Zn3 columnar crystal matrix. In the growing process of Mg40Zn55Nd5 icosahedral quasicrystal phase, the growth morphology mainly depended on interface energy, adsorption effect of Nd and cooling rate.
