Effect of Gadolinium on the Microstructure of Magnesium Alloy AZ91

The paper presents the results of research related to the possibility of inoculation of the AZ91 magnesium alloy casted into ceramic moulds by gadolinium. Effects of gadolinium content (0.1–0.6 wt%) on microstructure of the AZ91 alloy under as-cast state were investigated. The influence of the inoculator on the formation of the microstructure investigated by means of the thermal and derivative analysis by analysing the thermal effects arising during the alloy crystallization resulting from the phases formed. The degree of fragmentation of the microstructure of the tested alloys was assessed by means of the light microscopy studies and an image analysis with statistical analysis was performed. Conducted analyses have aimed at examining on the effect of inoculation of the gadolinium on the differences between the grain diameters and average size of each type of grain by way of measuring their perimeters of all phases, preliminary αMg and eutectics αMg+γ(Mg17Al12) in the prepared examined material.