Solidification characteristics and segregation behavior of a P-containing Ni–Fe–Cr-based alloy

Solidification characteristics and segregation behavior of a P-containing Ni–Fe–Cr-based alloy, considered as boiler and turbine materials in 700 °C advanced ultra-supercritical coal-fired power plants, have been investigated by differential thermal analysis and directional solidification quenching technique. Results reveal that P decreases the solidus temperature, but only has negligible influence on liquidus temperature. After P was added, the solidification sequence has no apparent change, but the width of the mushy zone increases and dendritic structures become coarser. Moreover, P increases the amount and changes the morphology of MC carbide. Energy-dispersive spectroscopy analysis reveals that P has obvious influence on the segregation behavior of the constitute elements with equilibrium partition coefficients (k_i) far away from unity, whereas has negligible effect on the constituent elements with k_i close to unity and has more influence on the final stage of solidification than at early stage. The distribution profiles reveal that P atoms pile up ahead of the solid/liquid (S/L) interface and strongly segregate to the interdendritic liquid region. The influence of P on solidification characteristics and segregation behavior of Ni–Fe–Cr-based alloy could be attributed to the accumulation of P ahead of the S/L interface during solidification.