Alloying in the Cast House

Mechanisms of Dissolution (simplified version!)• The binding agent melts or dissolves to expose the element powder• The metallic element in powder form does not ‘dissolve’ – it formscomplex intermetallics• These intermetallics then dissolve in the liquid aluminium• The process is diffusion controlled and hence dependent upon:– Alloy type; temperature; degree of stirring; concentrationNo stirIncubationIntermetallicsTimeWith stirMQW5 March 2012 9