Solidification of Single-Phase Alloys

Guided by Prepared by
Prof. B.J. Chauhan Sir Purvesh K. Nanavaty
ME-I (Materials Technology)
Introduction
The solidification process by which a liquid metal freezes in
a mold plays a critical role in determining the properties of
the as-cast alloy

· The initial uniform composition in liquid becomes non

uniform as the liquid transforms to solid

· Different solidification conditions give rise to different

microstructures of the solid

· Many casting defects, such as porosity and shrinkage,

depend on the manner in which the alloy is solidified in a
mold
 Two important factors that control solidification
microstructures
1. Alloy Composition
A pure metal has a specific melting point Tm,
while an alloy freezes over a range of
temperatures

This freezing range is generally represented by a phase

diagram, as shown in Fig. 1. The liquids
line represents the temperature at which the liquid alloy
begins to freeze, and the freezing process is complete when
the solidus temperature is reached,
 The ratio of the solid to liquid
composition at a given temperature
is called the solute distribution
coefficient k.
The first solid that forms at
temperature TL will have a
composition kCo, which is lower
than the liquid composition Co.
Thus, the excess solute rejected
by the solid will give rise to a
solute-rich liquid layer at the
interface.
This increase in liquid
composition, along with the
lowering of
temperature, gives rise to solute
segregation patterns in the solid

A single-phase region of a phase diagram showing the liquidus and the solidus lines
The buildup of solute in
liquid requires diffusion of
solute in liquid for further
growth. For efficient
distribution of the
solute in liquid.

the interface may

change its shape. In
addition to the solute
transfer, the interface
shape is governed by the
effective removal of the
latent heat
of fusion.
 Heat Flow Conditions
 Two distinctly heat flow conditions may exist in a
mold. different
 In the first case, the temperature gradients in the
liquid and the solid are positive such that the latent heat
generated at the interface is dissipated through the
solid. Such a temperature field gives rise to directional
solidification and results in the columnar zone in a
casting.

In the second case, an equiaxed zone exists if the liquid

surrounding the solid is under cooled so that a negative
temperature gradient is present in the liquid at the
solid/liquid interface. In this case, the latent heat of
fusion is dissipated through the liquid. Such a thermal
condition is generally present at the center of the mold.
A B C D

Fig. 2 Effect of increasing growth rate on the shape of the solid/liquid

interface in a transparent organic
system, pivalic acid-0.076 wt% ethanol, solidified directionally
atG = 2.98 K/mm (75.7 K/in.). (a) v = 0.2 μm/s
(8 μin./s). (b) v = 1.0 μm/s (40 μin./s). (c) v = 3.0 μm/s (120
μin./s). (d) v = 7.0 μm/s (280 μin./s)
Planar interface growth occurs only under directional
solidification conditions and, for alloys, only under low
growth rate or high-temperature gradient conditions.

•consider an interface that is moving at a

constant velocity v, with heat flowing from the
liquid to the solid under temperature gradients
GL and GS in liquid and solid, respectively

•Constitutional supercooling diagram. The

solute concentration profile in the liquid
gives rise to the variation in the equilibrium
freezing temperature Tf of liquid near the
interface. The actual temperature in liquid
is given by line 1, and the slope of Tf at the
interface is given by line 2. A supercooled
liquid exists in the shaded region.
 Cellular and Cellular Dendritic Structures. Under
directional solidification conditions.

Cellular /cellular dendritic interface is observed

Which have two important characteristics. First, the length of the
cell is small, and it is of the same order of magnitude as the cell
spacing (Fig. b).
Second, the tip region of the cell is broader and the cell has a
larger tip radius. At higher velocities, a cellular dendritic structure
forms (Fig. c) in which the length of

the cell is much larger than the cell spacing. Also, the cell tip
assumes a sharper, nearly parabolic shape, which is similar
to the dendrite tip shape so that the term cellular dendritic is used
to characterize this structure
 Dendritic Structures.
. Dendritic structures are characterized by the formation of side branches
(Fig. 2d). These side branches, as
well as the primary dendrite, grow in a preferred crystallographic direction,

Directionally solidified peritectic cobalt- Formation of cells with intercellular

samarium-copper alloy showing primary
cobalt dendrites when
the Co17Sm2 matrix is etched away. The
cut surfaces in the foreground indicate the
structure that would be
observed on the plane of polish if the
matrix were not etched away.
eutectic in the directionally
solidified Sn-20Pb alloy. G = 31
K/mm
(79 K/in.) and v = 1.2 μm/s (48
μin./s). The nearly flat eutectic
interface is at the eutectic
temperature
 Dendritic structure in a directionally solidified
transparent organic system, succinonitrile-4.0
wt%
acetone. G = 6.7 K/mm (170 K/in.) and v = 6.4
μm/s (260 μin./s). The secondary dendrite arm
spacing
increases with the distance behind the tip.

Formation of equiaxed crystals at the center of the

mold during the solidification of transparent
ammonium chloride-water mixture
 Schematic of microstructure zone
formation in castings. Directional
solidification conditions give rise to
a columnar zone, while an equiaxed
zone is formed at the center where
the liquid is under cooled

References:-
ASM Metals Handbook Vol.15 Casting (R. Trivedi, Iowa State
University; W. Kurz, Professor, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology,
Switzerland)
ASM Metals Handbook Vol.09 Metallography & Microstructures