Composition and methods for preparing liquid-solid alloys for casting and casting methods employing the liquid-solid alloys

The method for shaping a metal composition which comprises:

• 1. forming a metal composition having solid discrete degenerate dendrites homogeneously dispersed within a liquid phase of said metal composition by:
• a. heating a first metal composition to form a liquid-solid mixture of said first metal composition wherein less than about 65 weight percent thereof is solid and
• b. vigorously agitating said mixture to convert the liquid-solid mixture therein to discrete degenerate dendrites derived from said metal composition, said degenerate dendrites comprising up to about 65 weight percent of the heated metal composition and wherein the remainder of the heated metal composition is liquid and
• 2. casting the heated metal composition comprising degenerate dendrites and liquid metal.

The method for forming a metal composition comprising a metal alloy matrix and third phase solid particles homogeneously suspended in said matrix, said metal alloy having solid discrete degenerate dendrites homogeneously dispersed within a secondary phase of said metal alloy which comprises:

• a. heating a first metal alloy to form an initial liquid-solid mixture of said first metal alloy wherein less than about 65 weight percent thereof is solid,
• b. vigorously agitating said liquid-solid mixture to convert the solid therein to discrete degenerate dendrites comprising up to about 65 weight percent of said heated alloy and wherein the remainder of said heated metal alloy is a liquid secondary phase,
• c. adding solid third phase particles, having a surface that is wet by said metal alloy, to said alloy comprising degenerate dendrites and liquid secondary phase, and
• d. dispersing said third phase particles and said degenerate dendrites homogeneously in said secondary phase, said third phase particles comprising up to about 65 weight percent of the weight of the metal alloy and third phase particles.