In order to investigate the competitive interaction between nanoparticles and twin, the eutectic Si microstructures in Al⁻10Si (wt. %) base alloys with exclusive and combined addition of Sr and Sb are characterized by combined TEM and atom probe tomography (APT). The chemical short range order in Sb⁻Sb and Sb⁻Sr pairs is revealed by ab initio molecular dynamics simulation, which promotes the formation of clusters and nanoparticles. The coexistence of nanoparticles and twins is observed in Sb containing alloys, with a negative correlation in the corresponding number density, owing to the competitive stacking of precursors and individual atoms at the solid⁻liquid interface. Large size particles around 70 nm with a uniform distribution of Sr atoms are formed in Al⁻10Si⁻0.35Sb⁻0.015Sr (wt. %) alloys, due to the precursor aggregation and homogeneous nucleation in the droplets that nucleation are depressed. A model for the formation of nanoparticles and their interaction with twins is proposed.
Keywords: TEM; atom probe tomography; nanoparticles; twins.