Iron is considered to be a very harmful impurity in aluminum alloys

which always accumulates in recycling aluminum alloys

so it is critical to control the detriment of the iron-rich intermetallics in order to promote scrap aluminum recycling and efficient use.The iron-rich intermetallics in Al-Cu cast alloys was reviewed

including the morphology and control methods of iron-rich intermetallics.The results reveal that the morphology and type of iron-rich intermetallic compounds in Al-Cu alloys are dependant of different alloy compositions and casting conditions

including needle-likeβ-Fe

Al3（FeMn）and Chinese scriptα-Fe

AlmFe

Al6（FeMn）.The needle-likeβ-Fe is considered to be the most stable iron-rich intermetallic compounds in the heat treatment process

and other iron-rich intermetallic compounds will be transformed intoβ-Fe during the heat treatment.Modification of the morphology of ironrich intermetallic compounds is an effective way to control iron-rich intermetallic compounds in cast AlCu alloys

including neutralization

changing the casting process and applying physical fields.However

it can’t solve these problems fundamentally because the increase of iron-rich intermetallic compounds leads to the reduction of precipitates particle in the Al matrix.The future direction is to develop more effective neutralization or efficient and economic iron removal technologies.The research of iron-rich intermetallic compounds in cast Al-Cu alloys was mainly focused on gravity die casting condition

and the research of iron-rich intermetallic compounds under special conditions such as ultrasonic and pressure fields should be paid attention.