Cluster formation at the Si/liquid interface in Sr and Na modified Al-Si alloys
Atom probe tomography was used to compare Na and Sr modified Al-Si hypoeutectic alloys. Both Na and Sr promote the formation of nanometre-sized clusters in the Si eutectic phase. Compositional analyses of the clusters show an Al:Sr ratio of 2.92 +/- 0.46 and an Al:Na ratio of 1.07 +/- 0.23. It is proposed that SrAl2Si2 and NaAlSi clusters are formed at the Si/liquid interface and take part in the modification process by altering the eutectic Si growth. ; Funding Agencies|German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology [AiF 17204 N]; European Regional Development Fund (AME-Lab) [C/4-EFRE-13/2009/Br]; German Research Foundation (DFG); Federal State Government of Saarland [INST 256/298-1 FUGG]; Erasmus Mundus Doctoral Programme DocMASE of the European Commission [FPA 2011-0020]; VINNOVA Strategic Faculty Grant VINNMER Marie Curie Chair [2011-03464]; Major International (Regional) Joint Research Project from China [51420105005]