Tracking Interphases in Directionally Solidified Zn-Al Binary Alloys

Abstract

In the present work, we investigated the movement of [liquid/(solid+liquid)] interphases [L/(S+L)], [(solid+liquid)/(eutectic+solid+liquid)] interphases [(S+L)/(E+L)], [(eutectic+solid +liquid)/solid] interphases [(E+L)/S], and [(solid+liquid)/solid] interphases [(S+L)/S], running in a binary Zn-Al alloy system from the chilled ends of a hemicylindrical sample. We found that under specific solidification conditions, new [(S+L)/(E+L)] and [(S+L)/S] interphases can be created in the center of the sample, and then move toward the ends of the probe and collide with the solidification advancing fronts. In a horizontal setup with chilled ends we determined the speeds and accelerations of the four imposed interphases, two of which moved from left to right and two of which moved from right to left. We were also able to detect the creation of new [(S+L)/(E+L)] and [(E+L)/S] or [(S+L)/S] interphases created near the center of the sample, and to calculate their speeds and accelerations from the near beginning of the creation to the instant in which they collided with the imposed solidification fronts.