Dual solidification mechanisms of liquid ternary Fe-Cu-Sn alloy

Wei Li Wang, Xiao Mei Zhang, Liu Hui Li, Bing Bo Wei

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Liquid ternary Fe 47.5Cu 47.5Sn 5 alloy displayed dual solidification mechanisms when it was undercooled by up to 329 K (0.19T L). Below a critical undercooling of about 196 K, it solidified just like a normal peritectic alloy, even though metastable phase separation occurred to a microscopic extent. Once bulk undercooling exceeds 196 K, macroscopic segregation played a dominant role in solidification. In both cases, the solidification process was always characterized by two successive peritectic transformations: firstly primary γFe dendrites reacted with liquid phase to form (Cu) phase, and subsequently the (Cu) phase reacted with residual liquid phase to yield βCu 5.6Sn intermetallic compound. The primary γFe dendrites achieved a maximum growth velocity of 400 mm/s and experienced a growth kinetics transition as a result of macrosegregation. Since the (Cu) phase was both the product phase of the first peritectic transformation and also the reactant phase for the second peritectic transformation, it appeared as two layers in solidification microstructures due to the microsegregation of Sn solute. The boundary continuity between the macroscopically separated Fe-rich and Cu-rich zones was enhanced with the increase of undercooling.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)450-459
Number of pages10
JournalScience China: Physics, Mechanics and Astronomy
Volume55
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2012

Keywords

  • Dendritic growth
  • Macrosegregation
  • Peritectic solidification
  • Phase separation
  • Undercooling

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Dual solidification mechanisms of liquid ternary Fe-Cu-Sn alloy'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this