Effects of solutes on grain refinement of selected wrought aluminium alloys

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Abstract
An analysis of the effects of alloy additions on grain refinement in a series of model and commercial aluminium alloy compositions is reported. The data of Birch and Fisher published earlier describing grain refinement in 32 systems, including AA3004, AA5083, AA6063, and AA7050, are considered in terms of the supercooling effect of each alloy addition. A simple model describing grain size in terms of additive supercooling effects of individual alloy additions is proposed which fits the data reasonably well. Deviations from simple additive behaviour are evident in systems where strong intermetallic interactions occur. Interaction coefficients among solutes are invoked to explain these deviations. Individual alloying effects on grain refinement are treated in terms of constitutional supercooling parameters, and behaviour is shown to be similar to that described in earlier studies. Zirconium is shown to have a general poisoning effect in a range of alloy compositions.