Non-Equilibrium Crystallization of Monotectic Zn-25%Bi Alloy under 600 g

This study investigated the influence of supergravity on the segregation of components in the Zn–Bi monotectic system and consequently, the creation of an interface of the separation zone of both phases. The observation showed that near the separation boundary, in a very narrow area of the order of several hundred microns, all types of structures characteristic for the concentration range from 0 to 100% bismuth occurred. An additional effect of crystallization in high gravity is a high degree of structural order and an almost perfectly flat separation boundary. This is the case for both the zinc-rich zone and the bismuth-rich zone. Texture analysis revealed the existence of two privileged orientations in the zinc zone. Gravitational segregation also resulted in a strong rearrangement of the heavier bismuth to the outer end of the sample, leaving only very fine precipitates in the zinc region. For comparison, the results obtained for the crystallization under normal gravity are given. The effect of high orderliness of the structure was then absent. Despite segregation, a significant part of bismuth remained in the form of precipitates in the zinc matrix, and the separation border was shaped like a lens. The described method can be used for the production of massive bimaterials with a directed orientation of both components and a flat interface between them, such as thermo-generator elements or bimetallic electric cell parts, where the parameters (thickness) of the junction can be precisely defined at the manufacturing stage.

Kinetics of Isothermal Phase Transformations by Phase-Field Simulations: An Analogy between the Peritectic and Monotectic Systems

We present phase-field simulations of isothermal phase transformations in the peritectic system below and above the peritectic temperature TP , and in the monotectic system below the monotectic temperature TM. We focus particularly on the Liquid-Film-Migration (LFM) mechanism, which appears to be the generic process for phase transformations above TP . Below TP , we obtain an assymetric LFM, suggesting the existence of a doublon structure in free space. In the monotectic system, the transformation from a liquid L1 to a solid+liquid L2 mixture proceeds via the migration of a L2 film, which is the analogous of the LFM process. When the metastable state consists of a liquid-liquid mixture, a dendritic-like solidification is obtained.

Onset of convection in two layers of a binary liquid

We perform linear stability calculations for horizontal bilayers of a two-component fluid that can undergo a phase transformation, taking into account both buoyancy effects and thermocapillary effects in the presence of a vertical temperature gradient. Critical values for the applied temperature difference across the system that is necessary to produce instability are obtained by a linear stability analysis, using both numerical computations and small wavenumber approximations. Thermophysical properties are taken from the aluminum–indium monotectic system, which includes a liquid–liquid miscibility gap. In addition to buoyant and thermocapillary modes of instability, we find an oscillatory phase-change instability due to the combined effects of solute diffusion and fluid flow that persists at small wavenumbers. This mode is sensitive to the ratio of the layer depths, and for certain layer depths can occur for heating from either above or below.

Formation of a Crystalline-Glass Composite in a Cu-Based Bulk Metallic Glass by Using the Cu-Pb Monotectic System

To synthesize a crystalline-glass composite in a Cu-based bulk metallic glass, the monotectic reaction was used. The (Zr-Sn-Pb)-rich crystalline phase was found to coexist with the (Cu-Ti-Ni)-rich glassy phase during the process of quenching from the melt in the (Cu47Ti33Zr11Ni6Sn2Si1)100-x+Pbx=1,2 system. Microstructures consisting of uniformly dispersed crystalline particles in the amorphous matrix were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Compressive tests demonstrated that the fracture strain of the sample with a Pb content of 1 at% was three times higher than that of the sample with no Pb.