Directional Solidification of Mo5Si3-MoSi2 Eutectic

ABSTRACTThe Mo-Si phase diagram exhibits a Mo5Si3-MoSi2 eutectic at the 54% Si composition. Since the terminal phases have comparable melting points and are equidistant from the eutectic composition, there is the possibility of obtaining lamellar microstructures in this system. In addition, if the alloys are directionally solidified, there is the further possibility of obtaining aligned lamellae. In this study, a high temperature (xenon-arc-lamp) optical floating zone furnace is utilized to directionally solidify Mo-Si alloys of the eutectic composition. Growth conditions are systematically varied to investigate their effects on the solidification microstructure. Growth rates and rotation speeds are identified that result in lamellar microstructures.

Feasibility Of Directional Solidification Of Lanthanum Hexaboride In a Boron Matrix

Attempts were made to directionally solidify lanthanum hexaboride as uniformly spaced rods, less than one micron in diameter, in a boron matrix. Lanthanum hexaboride and boron powders were combined in a near eutectic mixture, formed into right circular cylinders and melted by RF induction heating in a pure hydrogen atmosphere using a modified internal zone melting technique.Ball milling, uniaxial cold pressing, isostatic pressing and hot pressing were investigated as possible means of increasing the sample density before melting in the RF induction furnace. RF coupling was achieved directly in the hot pressed pellet, and indirectly through the use of a molybdenum preheater in the uniaxially cold pressed pellets. Internal zone melting and conventional crucible melting in various materials were tried.Directional growth was observed in the pellets that were uniaxially cold pressed and preheated with a molybdenum tube sleeve. Lanthanum hexaboride fibers with an ℓ/d ratio of about ten to one and other forms of aligned microstructures were observed in selected areas of the pellet.