Influence of Solute Content on Grain Size in Binary Cu Alloys

Abstract

It is well accepted that grain refinement requires both, nucleation and some solute in the melt to restrict growth. The growth restriction potency of alloying elements is expressed by the growth restriction factor Q. As there is still a lack of detailed fundamental investigation of the effect of alloying elements on grain size in Cu alloys, the objective of this study is to provide thermodynamic-based determined Qvalues of the alloying elements of the Cu-system. To evaluate the influence of solute content, respectively Q on grain size in binary Cu alloys, initial results of melting experiments under defined cooling conditions of the TP-1 grain refiner test are shown.