Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
Small nickel-tin alloy samples (3.2 g) were bulk undercooled in a Pyrex-brand borosilicate glass medium using a levitation melter. Recalescence was directly observed utilizinq a rapid thermal measurement system (resnonse time less than 10 us) consisting of two silicon photodiodes, signal amplification system, and a digital storarie device.
Results of this research include: (1) measured undercoolings ranqed up to about 250 K; (2) both total solidification time and recalescence time become shorter with increasing initial undercooling; (3) in the case of hypoeutectic (Ni-25wt%Sn) alloy, a range of recalescence times was observed from 500 ms for a low undercooling (about 35 K) to 2 ms for a hiqh undercooling (about 230 K); (4) thermal profiles upon solidification of hypoeutectic comnosition alloys showed the existence of two distinct nucleation events; (5) although cooling rates before nucleation were generally low (<50 K/s), structures of fineness expected in rapid solidification processing were typically observed; (6) fineness of microstructure increases with increasing undercooling; and (7) uniform distribution of second phase was achieved by increasing undercoolina.