Intermetallic particles form during solidification of metallic alloys.
Al-Si-Cu-Mg alloys form Al5FeSi- plate like intermetallic phases like -Al8Fe2Si, Al2Cu, etc.
The size and morphology of these intermetallic phases in these alloys control the mechanical properties of these alloys, especially strength and ductility.
[1] The size of these phases depends on the secondary dendrite arm spacing,[2] as well as the Si content of the alloy,[3][4][5][6] of the primary phase in the micro structure.
In-situ synchrotron diffraction experiment[9] on Electron alloy-WE 43 (Mg4Y3Nd) shows that this alloy form the following intermetallic phases ;Mg12Nd, Mg14Y4Nd, and Mg24Y5.