Heterogenous equilibria in Al-Mn quasicrystalline alloy during high-pressure die casting

Dremelj, Borut (author), Zaky, Adam (author), Naglič, Iztok (author), Zupančič, Matej (author), Markoli, Boštjan (author)

Using advanced characterization techniques, including optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) combined with Thermo-Calc calculations, the study demonstrated the relationship between casting conditions, microstructure, and phase formation during high-pressure die casting (HPDC) and comparative gravity casting in steel and copper molds. We demonstrated how both casting conditions and changes in the alloy’s chemical composition instigate different heterogeneous equilibria and thus influence the constitution of the alloys. After equilibrium solidification, the microstructures of the synthesized alloys consist of αAl matrix, Al6Mn, and traces of Al2CuMg, Al12Mn, and Mg2Si, while nonequilibrium solidification led to the formation of different phases, such as icosahedral quasicrystalline (IQC) phases, such as icosahedral quasicrystalline (IQC) phases their approximant α-AlMnSi and β-AlMnSi phase. Finally, we confirmed the presence of different heterogeneous equilibria that existed simultaneously during the solidification of the investigated alloys.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Al-alloys, quasicrystals, equilibrium, HPDC
• Work type: Not categorized
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: NTF - Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 08.06.2026
• Publisher: Inštitut za kovinske materiale in tehnologije
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: str. 437-444
• Numbering: ǂLetn. ǂ60, ǂšt. ǂ3
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-184005
• UDC: 669.018.25:549.2
• ISSN on article: 1580-2949
• DOI: 10.17222/mit.2026.1703
• COBISS.SI-ID: 281737219
• Publication date in RUL: 08.07.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Materiali in tehnologije
• Shortened title: Mater. tehnol.
• Publisher: Inštitut za kovinske materiale in tehnologije
• ISSN: 1580-2949
• COBISS.SI-ID: 106193664

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Heterogena ravnotežja v Al-Mn kvazikristalni zlitini med visokotlačnim litjem

Abstract

Z uporabo sodobnih metod karakterizacije, vključno z optično mikroskopijo, vrstično elektronsko mikroskopijo (SEM) inenergijsko disperzijsko spektroskopijo (EDS) ter diferencialno vrstično kalorimetrijo (DSC) v kombinaciji s Thermo-Calc izračuni, je v študiji prikazana povezava med pogoji litja, mikrostrukturo in nastankom faz pri visokotlačnem litju (HPDC) ter primerjalnem gravitacijskem litju v jeklene in bakrene kokile. Pokazano je, da tako pogoji litja kot spremembe kemične sestave zlitine sprožijo različna heterogena ravnotežja in s tem vplivajo na sestavo zlitin. Po ravnotežnem strjevanju so mikrostrukture sintetiziranih zlitin sestavljene iz prevladujoče matrice αAl in Al6Mn ter sledov Al2CuMg, Al12Mn in Mg2Si, medtem ko se med neravnotežnim strjevanjem formirajo nove faze, kot so ikozaedrična kvazikristalna faza (IQC) in njen aproksimant αAlMnSi in faza β-AlMnSi. Potrdili smo prisotnost različnih heterogenih ravnotežij, ki so obstajala hkrati med strjevanjem preiskovanih zlitin.

• Keywords: Al-zlitine, kvazikristali, ravnotežje, visokotlačno litje