Abstract: Based on the assumption that the nucleation substrates are activated by constitutional undercooling generated by an adjacent grain growth and solute distribution during the initial solidification, a model for calculation of the grain size of aluminum alloys with the grain refinement is developed, where the nucleation is dominated by two parameters, i:e. growth restriction factor Q and the undercooling parameter P. The growth restriction factor Q is proportional to the initial rate of constitutional undercooling development and can be used directly as a criterion of the grain refinement in the alloys with strong potential nucleation particles. The undercooling parameter P can be regarded as the maximum of constitutional undercooling △Tc. For weak potential nucleation particles, the use of RGS would be more accurate. The experimental data of the grain refinement of pure aluminum and AlSi7 alloys are coincident predicted results with the model.

Key words: Grain refinement, Constitutional undercooling, Nucleation, Aluminum alloys