## 1 Introduction  
Recently, rare earth elements have been incorporated into aluminum alloys to manage their microstructures during solidification and enhance their material properties. Lanthanum (La) and Cerium (Ce), which are among the more economically viable rare earths, have been the focus of extensive research [1]. Iron is the primary alloying element in the 8 xxx series alloys. Although Fe-rich intermetallic phases are often linked to reduced mechanical properties [2, 3], iron is still used in certain wrought aluminum alloys. These alloys are used in rolling due to its favorable balance of ductility and strength at thinner gauges, such as in aluminum foil [4]. The typical Fe content in these alloys ranges from 0.7 to 1.3 wt.%. To enhance workability, homogenization is required before hot rolling an aluminum slab with direct cooling [5]. Since aluminum alloys generally do not solidify under equilibrium conditions, metastable or non-equilibrium intermetallic phases may form. A high-temperature homogenization treatment is essential to mitigate the effects of segregation, intermetallic phases, and non-equilibrium eutectics [6]. Since homogenization is governed by diffusion, the kinetics of the process are primarily influenced by time and temperature [7]. As the alloy's temperature increases, atomic mobility is enhanced, leading to the migration of atoms from areas of higher concentration to areas of lower concentration. This movement helps equalize the compositional differences between the centers and edges of the dendrite arms [6]. In the as-cast state, several non-equilibriumor metastable intermetallic phases are present. The only equilibrium phase in the Al-Fe system, present in its aluminum-rich region, is Al\({}_{13}\)Fe\({}_{4}\)[8]. Due to the low solubility of Fe in the aluminum matrix, only 0.05 wt.% at the eutectic temperature of 655.1 \({}^{\circ}\)C [6], most of the Fe in the microstructure forms intermetallic phases, with Al\({}_{6}\)Fe, Al\({}_{x}\)Fe, and Al\({}_{m}\)Fe being the most common [9; 10; 11; 12; 13]. During homogenization, these metastable phases transform into more stable ones [14]. Adding rare earth (RE) elements to aluminum alloys presents an opportunity to enhance their microstructure, corrosion resistance, and mechanical properties. Research has demonstrated the beneficial effects of RE elements on the properties of Al-Fe aluminum alloys. Some studies have also indicated that incorporating Lanthanum (La) and Cerium (Ce) into aluminum alloys can eliminate harmful impurities (the addition of rare earths can reduce the content of impurity solid solutions) [15] such as those of iron (Fe) and silicon (Si), refine grain size, alter their microstructures, and improve both the distribution of inclusion phases and electrical conductivity [16; 17; 18; 19]. In Ce- and/or La-modified Al-1.4 Fe alloys, behavior similar to that of RE-free Al-1.4 Fe alloys has been observed, with phase transitions occurring at slightly lower temperatures, while the microstructure remains typically hypoeutectic. Al-Fe alloys often contain coarse Al\({}_{x}\)Fe\({}_{y}\) phases with feather-like, plate-like, or needle-like morphologies, which can reduce ductility due to stress concentration [20]. It was reported that the morphologies and distribution of Al-Fe phases can be changed via modification with Ce [21]. The long needle-like primary Al-Fe phase is prominently transformed into fine particles via modification with Ce, either into the claw-like Al-Fe-Ce ternary intermetallic compound and/or the short rod-like Al-Fe-Ce phase (possibly Al\({}_{13}\)Fe\({}_{3}\)Ce phase) [21; 22]. It has been reported that adding RE elements leads to grain refinement, with Lanthanum showing the most significant effect [23; 24; 25]. It was proven that the rare earth adsorbs on the TiB\({}_{2}\) phase surface, reducing its surface energy and size, thereby minimizing the likelihood of agglomeration.