The role of iron in the nucleation of eutectic silicon in aluminum-silicon hypoeutectic alloys

Commercial aluminum-silicon foundry alloys invariably contain significant amounts of iron. It is shown through thermodynamic and thermal analyses, as well as scanning and transmission 1 electron microscopy coupled with selected area electron diffraction analysis and elemental x- ray mapping that iron in hypoeutectic aluminum-silicon alloys plays an important role in the nucleation of the eutectic silicon phase.