Casting of Al-Si hypereutectic aluminum alloy strip using an unequal diameter twin roll caster

Al-16%Si and Al-20%Si hypereutectic aluminum alloy with wide freezing zone were cast into the strip from low temperature melt using an unequal diameter twin roll caster. The diameter of a lower roll was 1000 mm and an upper roll was 250 mm. The strip could be cooled on the lower roll after through the roll bite. The strip, which has wide freezing zone, could be cast continuously at the speeds up to 10 m/min by the effect of the low temperature casting and the second cooling. The primary and eutectic Si was very fine and was not acicular. Al-16%Si roll-cast strip could be cold rolled after homogenization. A 15% elongation of the annealed strip was attained by the effect of the excellent microstructure. Al-20%Si could be cold rolled, too. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.