*3.4. Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM)*

Table 1 shows the grain refinement and Si particles fragmentation after ECAP processing. Figure 5a–b shows the scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs of the ECAPed as-cast and cooling slope-cast samples. The Si particles appeared finer in the ECAPed cooling slope than in the ECAPed as-cast. With the continuous passes, the Si particles and eutectic mixture were broken down and fragmented into finer particles, as shown in Figure 5c–d.


**Table 1.** Average size of grain size and Si particles before and after ECAP.

**Figure 5.** FESEM images: Si particles morphology after ECAP (**a**) as-cast, (**b**) cooling slope, (**c**) and (**d**) SEM and mapping of Si fragmentation of ECAPed sample.
