Length Scale of the Dendritic Array Tailoring Strength of a 5052 Aluminum Alloy

The hardness values measured across the three directionally solidified castings were directly related to the λ2, which can be considered a fundamental variable affecting mechanical strength. For representative conditions vis-à-vis those employed in industry, it was shown that even relatively small changes in Mg content of the 5052 alloy may have some impact on λ2. These results open new ways to predict the final as-cast microstructure characterizing commercial 5052 alloy products, with a view to controlling not only the dendritic growth but also the Mg content during casting operations.