This a two-year collaborative research project between Dr. Angus Hellawell, Michigan Technological University and Professor Lu Shu-Zu, University of Science and Technology in Beijing. This proposal plans to examine the microstructures and mechanical properties of aluminum base alloys using a series of metallic elements. It addresses an important problem in metallurgy and is a valuable line of inquiry which to date has seen little research effort. This study can make significant contributions to the understanding of structures and mechanical properties of rare earth alloys. The supply of rare earth alloys for this research is to be provided by the Chinese P.I., since eighty percent of world deposits of these rare alloys are located in China. This research can significantly advance our under- standing of the whole class of A1-Si alloys, which are currently widely used in automotive engines in the U.S.
