In-situ X-ray Video Microscopy Studies of Al-Si Eutectic Solidification

In-situ studies of Al-Si eutectic growth has been carried out for the first time by X-ray video microscopy during directional solidification of Al-Si-Cu alloys with and without Sr-addtions. The unmodified eutectics showed distinctive non-isothermal growth dynamics, where Si-crystals attained needle-like tip morphologies and progressed under significantly higher undercooling than Al, leading to formation of an irregular eutectic with Si as the leading phase and subsequent nucleation of Al on the Si-surfaces. In the Sr-modified alloys, the eutectic reaction was found to be strongly suppressed, occurring with low nucleation frequencies at undercoolings in the range 10-18 K. In the Cu-enriched melt, the eutectic front was found to attain meso-scale interface perturbations evolving into equiaxed cellular rosettes in order to accommodate to the long-range redistribution of Cu from the composite eutectic interface. The eutectic front also attained short-range microscale interface perturbations consistent with characteristics of a fibrous Si growth, however further improvements in spatial resolution is required in order to study microscale structure formation in greater detail. Evidence was found in support of Si-nucleation occurring on potent particles suspended in the melt. Yet, both with Sr- modified and unmodified alloys, Si precipitation alone was not sufficient to facilitate the eutectic reaction, which apparently required additional undercooling for Al to form on the Si-particles. To what extent nucleation mechanisms in the Cu-enriched systems are transferable to binary or commercial Al-Si alloys remains uncertain

Revealing internal flow behaviour in arc welding and additive manufacturing of metals

Internal flow behaviour during melt-pool-based metal manufacturing remains unclear and hinders progression to process optimisation. In this contribution, we present direct time-resolved imaging of melt pool flow dynamics from a high-energy synchrotron radiation experiment. We track internal flow streams during arc welding of steel and measure instantaneous flow velocities ranging from 0.1 m s−1 to 0.5 m s−1. When the temperature-dependent surface tension coefficient is negative, bulk turbulence is the main flow mechanism and the critical velocity for surface turbulence is below the limits identified in previous theoretical studies. When the alloy exhibits a positive temperature-dependent surface tension coefficient, surface turbulence occurs and derisory oxides can be entrapped within the subsequent solid as result of higher flow velocities. The widely used arc welding and the emerging arc additive manufacturing routes can be optimised by controlling internal melt flow through adjusting surface active elements

Analysis of an Equiaxed Dendrite Growth Model with Comparisons to In-Situ Results of Equiaxed Dendritic Growth in an Al-Ge Alloy

The Lipton Glicksman Kurz (LGK) growth model is commonly used to predict growth rates for equiaxed dendrites in solidifying mushy zones. However, the original LGK method treats an isolated dendrite growing in an infinite volume of liquid. In an equiaxed mushy zone, with multiple nucleation events, thermal and solutal interactions take place between the equiaxed dendrites. A modified version of the LGK model was developed that allows for measurement of the solute build-up ahead of the dendrites. To investigate the validity of the model, comparisons are made with results obtained from in-situ synchrotron X-ray videomicroscopy of solidification in a Bridgman furnace of an Al-12wt.%Ge alloy inoculated with Al-Ti-B grain refiner. Comparisons between the original LGK and modified LGK models are presented for discussion. The modified LGK model shows realistic tip temperature trends.Deposited by bulk importAMS The words In-Situ in the title should be in ilatics

Dispersion of soft Bi particles and grain refinement of matrix in an Al-Bi alloy by equal channel angular pressing

The deformation behavior of a soft particle containing Al-8Bi hypermonotectic alloy during equal-channel angular pressing was studied. The size, shape and distribution of soft Bi particles are substantially modified via shearing, fragmentation, coalescence and ripening. It is found that the soft Bi particles have a strong influence on promoting refinement of Al grains via particle stimulated continuous dynamic recrystallization. The present work provides an effective methodology to obtain monotectic aluminium alloys with well-dispersed soft phase particles.Strategic University Project Improvement (Proj. no. 192450) financed by the Research Council of NorwayScopu

Direct observation of spatially isothermal equiaxed solidification of an Al-Cu alloy in microgravity on board the MASER 13 sounding rocket

For the first time, isothermal equiaxed solidification of a metallic alloy has been observed in situ in space, providing unique benchmark experimental data. The experiment was completed on board the MASER 13 sounding rocket, launched in December 2015, using a newly developed isothermal solidification furnace. A grain-refined Al–20 wt%Cu sample was fully melted and solidified during 360 s of microgravity and the solidification sequence was recorded using time-resolved X-radiography. Equiaxed nucleation, dendritic growth, solutal impingement, and eutectic transformation were thus observed in a gravity-free environment. Equiaxed nucleation was promoted through application of a controlled cooling rate of −0.05 K/s producing a 1D grain density of ~6.5 mm−1, uniformly distributed throughout the field of view (FOV). Primary growth slowed to a visually imperceptible level at an estimated undercooling of 7 K, after which the cooling rate was increased to −1.0 K/s for the remainder of solidification and eutectic transformation, ensuring the sample was fully solidified inside the microgravity time window. The eutectic transformation commenced at the centre of the FOV proceeding radially outwards covering the entire FOV in ~3 s. Microgravity-based solidification is compared to an identical pre-flight ground-based experiment using the same sample and experiment timeline. The ground experiment was designed to minimise gravity effects, by choice of a horizontal orientation for the sample, so that any differences would be subtle. The first equiaxed nucleation occurred at an apparent undercooling of 0.6 K less than the equivalent event during microgravity. During primary equiaxed solidification, as expected, no buoyant grain motion was observed during microgravity, compared to modest grain rotation and reorientation observed during terrestrial-based solidification. However, when the cooling rate was increased from −0.05 K/s to −1.0 K/s during the latter stages of solidification, in both 1g and micro-g environments, some grain movement was apparent due to liquid feeding and mechanical impingement of neighbouring grains.                         European Space Agency (ESA