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- Solidification / Liquid state process

Concepts of solidification Nucleation Homogeneous and heterogeneous Inoculation Cast structure Continuous casting process Glass manufacture by float glass (Pilkington) Slip casting of ceramics Composites casting

Solidification process of transformation of a liquid to a solid The basis of casting technology and other process including welding, surface alloying, crystal growth, ingot production, materials purification and refining In solidification, a solid phase is nucleated and grows with a crystalline structure. If solid crystalline phase is not nucleated, a glassy structures are formed.

Table 8.1 Major Types of Phase Transformations Type of Transformation 1. Vapor liquid 2. Vapor solid 3. Liquid crystal 4. Crystal 1 crystal 2 (a) Precipitation (b) Allotropic (c) Recrystallization Formulation of Fe3C on cooling austenite -Fe -Fe at 910 C Cold-worked Cu new grains at high temperatures Example Condensation of moisture Formation of frost on a window Formation of ice on a lake

From J.D. Verhoeven, Fundamentals of Physical Metallurgy, Wiley, 1974

Table 8.2 Degree of Complexity Involved in Phase Transformations


(a) Structure change (b) Structure change + composition change (c) Structure change + strain formation (d) Structure change + strain formation + composition change

From J.D. Verhoeven, Fundamentals of Physical Metallurgy, Wiley, 1974

Cooling Rate >104 -107 oC/s Rapidly cool or quench to produce amorphous or glassy structure (metallic glass) By processes such as: Atomization, melt spinning, rollerquenching or plasma spray or laser or electron beam surface treatment melt solidifies without any chem changes. Crystalline or amorphous (improved mech. properties) Microsegregation-free structures Using powder metallurgy to process the materials.

Conventional casting process produces 2 types of structures


Equiaxed smaller grains and higher strengh
Columnar longer, lower strength.

Introduce an inoculating agent Also refer as grain refinement process Introducing smaller particle (1-5 micron) into solid solution. Increase the degree of nucleation in the solid solution and grain growth via heterogeneous nucleation

Typical inoculants for various casting alloys


Metal Cast iron Mg alloys Cu alloys AlSi alloys Pb alloys Zn alloys Ti alloys Inoculant FeSi, SiCa, graphite Zr, C Fe, Co, Zr P, Ti, B As, Te Ti AlTi intermetallics

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