One of the main challenges in the recycling of aluminum is the highly diverse composition of aluminum scrap. Iron in particular poses a problem, as it gradually accumulates through the recycling of secondary aluminum and is difficult to remove by metallurgical means. In aluminum alloys it tends to form primary phases, most of which reduce ductility and have a negative effect on forming processes. Modifying the structure and morphology of those iron-containing phases might reduce their negative effects.
In the presented work, the primary phase evolution in Al-Mg-Si alloys with varying additions of iron and manganese as well as silicon was studied. The alloys were rapidly solidified and thermomechanically processed. Initial results showed that either by introducing a high degree of deformation or via heat treatments, those iron-containing primary phases are beneficial to optimize the final microstructure after solution annealing. The effect on microstructure development was studied and discussed. Moreover, the interdependency of the microstructure with the formability was analyzed.