Processing and microstructural characterization of Al-Cu alloys produced from rapidly solidified powders

This paper concerns the processing of Al-Cu alloys via a novel powder-metallurgy route. The specific technique used for powder processing involves the rapid solidification of coarse, molten droplets following impulse atomization. This produces a fine, homogeneous, dendritic microstructure within the alloy granules. Following consolidation via hot pressing, the microstructure consists mostly of an Al matrix with fine CuAl2 particles and …