Vertical and horizontal directional solidification of Zn-Al and Zn-Ag diluted alloys

Abstract

Zinc-Aluminum and Zinc-Silver alloys were solidified in horizontal and vertical form and the results obtained analyzed. Thermal parameters such as the cooling rates, the liquidus and solidus interphase velocities, and the temperature gradients were determined. The velocity of the liquidus interphase is greater than or sometimes equal to the velocity of the solidus interphase. In the vertical setup, columnar-to-equiaxed (CET) grain transition was obtained. CET does not occur in the horizontal one-directional solidification when critical minimum gradients reach values greater than 0.1 K/mm.