Evolution of morphology and microstructure in electrodeposited nanocrystalline Al–Mg alloy dendrites

Abstract

Nanocrystalline Al–Mg dendrites were fabricated through galvanostatic electrodeposition. Initially feather-like morphology was formed exhibiting morphological evolution to smooth globules at its tips. With eventual deposition, rough globules formed over the smooth ones. The feather-like and smooth globules possessed supersaturated face centered cubic (fcc)–Al(Mg) phase with ~7 and ~20 at.% Mg respectively. The rough globules contained hexagonal close packed (hcp)–Mg(Al) phase with ~80 at.% Mg. Microstructural examinations revealed that the feather-like and rough globules possessed grain sizes of ~42 ± 15 and ~36 ± 12 nm respectively. The region, which exhibited morphological evolution from feather-like to smooth globules, possessed ~16 ± 7 nm grain size. The observed microstructural and compositional features were attributed to the local current density values. The formation of the Al–Mg dendrites is discussed in this paper.