Liquid state property and intermetallic compound growth of Zr₂Ni alloy investigated under electrostatic levitation condition

The liquid state property and intermetallic compound growth of Zr₂Ni alloy were investigated by electrostatic levitation(ESL) technique. The relation between liquid undercooling and superheating followed a sigmoidal curve, which was probably attributed to the liquid structure transition. This assumption was supported by the density and viscosity measurement of liquid Zr₂Ni alloy. Meanwhile, the diffusion-limited growth mechanism of Zr₂Ni compound phase was demonstrated by the measured dendritic growth velocity. Within the undercooling range of 70–277 K(0.20 T_L), the dendritic growth velocity displayed a parabolic relation versus undercooling, which achieved a maximum value of 27 mm s^-1.