Fig. 5. Optical micrographs taken from samples prior to etching to reveal the intermetallic phase particles. (a) Non-sheared produced sample (inset shows needle-shaped β-AlFeSi intermetallics phase) and (b) sheared produced sample. (c) -AlSiMnFe particle size distribution curves for both samples (d) Particle group number, Nq (number of particles per Quadrat) distribution. Solid lines are fits to various statistical distribution curves. To plot these curves in (c), 8 micrographs were taken randomly along the cross-section and analysed where (i) and (ii) stand for -AlSiMnFe and β-AlFeSi, respectively. The processing temperature was 630°C.

Fig. 5. Optical micrographs taken from samples prior to etching to reveal the intermetallic phase particles. (a) Non-sheared produced sample (inset shows needle-shaped β-AlFeSi intermetallics phase) and (b) sheared produced sample. (c) -AlSiMnFe particle size distribution curves for both samples (d) Particle group number, Nq (number of particles per Quadrat) distribution. Solid lines are fits to various statistical distribution curves. To plot these curves in (c), 8 micrographs were taken randomly along the cross-section and analysed where (i) and (ii) stand for -AlSiMnFe and β-AlFeSi, respectively. The processing temperature was 630°C.