Abstract:Semi-solid A356 aluminum alloy slurry was prepared by using serpentine channel pouring process, and the influences of the channel diameters and pouring temperatures on the semi-solid A356 aluminum alloy slurry were investigated. The experimental results show that when the channel diameter is 20 and 25 mm, respectively, and the pouring temperature is 640−680 °C, the average diameter of primary α(Al) grains in the prepared A356 aluminum alloy slurry is 50−75 and 55−78 μm, respectively, and the average shape factor of primary α(Al) grains is 0.89−0.76 and 0.86−0.72, respectively. With the decline in the pouring temperature, the microstructure of semi-solid A356 aluminum alloy slurry is more desirable and a serpentine channel with smaller diameter is also advantageous to the microstructure improvement. During the preparation of semi-solid A356 aluminum alloy slurry, a large number of nuclei can be produced by the chilling effect of the serpentine channel, and owing to the combined effect of the chilled nuclei separation and melt self-stirring, primary α(Al) nuclei can be multiplied and spheroidized finally.

Key words: semi-solid; A356 aluminum alloy; serpentine channel; primary α(Al)