Effects of Pressure on the Solidification Microstructure of Mg65Cu25Y10 Alloy
Effects of Pressure on the Solidification Microstructure of Mg_(65)Cu_(25)Y_(10) Alloy

The Mg65Cu25Y10 melts were quenched at a temperature of 973 K under various pressures in the range of 2～5 GPa and ambient pressure. The microstructure of the solidified specimens has been investigated by X-ray diffraction,transmission electron microscope and electron probe microanalysis. Experimental results show that the pressure has a great influence on the solidification microstructure of the Mg65Cu25Y10. At ambient pressure, the solidification products are Mg2(Cu,Y) and a very small amount of Y2O3 inclusion. As the pressure is above 2 GPa, a new Cu2(Y,Mg) phase appears, while Y2O3 is not observed at the pressure of 3, 4 and 5 GPa. When the pressure increases from 2 GPa to 5 GPa, the grain sizes of Mg2(Cu,Y) and Cu2(Y,Mg) decrease from 125, 96 nm to 80,7 nm, respectively. The mechanisms for the effects of the pressure on the phase evolution and microstructure during solidification process of Mg65Cu25Y10 alloy have been discussed.