A Comprehensive Investigation on the Effect of Growth Rate and Composition on Dendritic Microstructure and Arm Spacings in Directionally Solidified Al-Zn Alloys
Chapter from the book: Engin, K. E. (ed.) 2025. Innovative Manufacturing Technologies and Materials Science in Mechanical Engineering.

Emin Çadırlı
Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University
Hasan Kaya
Erciyes University
Uğur Büyük
Erciyes University

Synopsis

Cellular and dendritic microstructures formed during the solidification of alloy systems lead to a non-uniform distribution of solute elements, i.e., microsegregation, significantly influencing the final properties of the material. The scale and morphology of microsegregation are primarily characterized by primary (λ₁) and secondary (λ₂) dendrite arm spacings. This study investigates the directional solidification behavior of three Al-Zn binary alloys with different compositions: Al-7wt.%Zn, Al-10wt.%Zn, and Al-20wt.%Zn. Alloy samples, prepared under vacuum using high-purity (99.99%) starting materials, were unidirectionally solidified in a custom-built Bridgman-type directional solidification furnace under a constant thermal gradient (G = 10.3 K/mm) and varying growth rates (V) ranging from 8.25 µm/s to 165 µm/s. From the microstructural images obtained from transverse and longitudinal sections of the solidified samples, the primary (λ₁) and secondary (λ₂) dendrite arm spacings were meticulously measured as a function of zinc concentration (Co) and growth rate (V). The experimentally determined λ-V and λ-Co relationships were mathematically modeled using linear regression analysis, and the obtained findings were comprehensively compared with existing theoretical solidification models and similar experimental studies in the literature. This research provides a fundamental understanding of the microstructural evolution in Al-Zn alloys and offers significant data for the design of desired microstructures, and consequently material properties, through the control of solidification parameters.

How to cite this book

Çadırlı, E. & Kaya, H. & Büyük, U. (2025). A Comprehensive Investigation on the Effect of Growth Rate and Composition on Dendritic Microstructure and Arm Spacings in Directionally Solidified Al-Zn Alloys. In: Engin, K. E. (ed.), Innovative Manufacturing Technologies and Materials Science in Mechanical Engineering. Özgür Publications. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58830/ozgur.pub770.c3184

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Published

June 26, 2025

DOI