Method Developed for Quantitative Assessment of Inclusions in Aluminium Billets

• A technique, based on sodium hydroxide hot macro etching, has been developed to deep etch non-metallic inclusions in a way that makes them visible on a macro scale. The distribution of inclusions in transverse sections along DC-cast aluminium billets could thus be studied. The technique has obvious advantages over other common analysis methods in giving a macroscopic spatial distribution of inclusions in a relatively simple way. The paper describes the development of the new technique and some applications. An analysis was made of how different inclusions behave during prolonged strong etching. Light optical microscopy, TEM and SEM/EDX have been used to identify specific inclusions.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Materialteknik -- Metallurgi och metalliska material (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Materials Engineering -- Metallurgy and Metallic Materials (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Materialteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Materials Engineering (hsv//eng)

Keyword

aluminium

wrought alloys

etching

inclusions

size distribution

Metallurgical process and manufacturing engineering

Metallurgisk process- och produktionsteknik

Materials science

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)