Ch3

Mechanism and rate of

solidification of metals and alloys

College of Engineering
Mechanical Eng. Dept.
Solidification of metals and alloys

Introduction
Many liquid metals are actually so full of sundry solid phases
floating about, that they begin to more closely resemble
slurries than liquids.

It is sobering to realize that many of the strength related

properties of liquid metals can only be explained by
assuming that the melt is full of defects.
It is not easy to quantify the number of nonmetallic
inclusions in liquid metals.
Solidification of metals and alloys
Solidification of metals and alloys
Solidification of metals and alloys
ling
Solidification of metals and alloys
Homogeneous nucleation

Homogeneous nucleation occurs when are no special

Objects inside a phase which can cause nucleation
Gibbs Free Energy
Energies Involved in Homogeneous Nucleation
Critical Radius
Energies Involved in Homogeneous Nucleation
Heterogeneous Nucleation
Critical Radius of Nuclei VS. Undercooling
Rapid Solidification (105 K/s)
Rapidly cool or quench to produce
amorphous or glassy structure (metallic
glass)
Rapid Solidification
Cooling Rate >104 -107 oK/s
By processes such as: Atomization, melt spinning,
roller-quenching or plasma spray or laser or electron
beam surface treatment
Non-eqm phase, no thermo. Restrictions, exceed
solubility limits, melt solidifies without any chem
changes.
Crystalline or amorphous (improved mech.
properties)
Microsegregation-free structures
Using powder metallurgy to process the materials.
Micro-segregation
Macro-segregation