Alignment of Fe-rich Primary Phase in Cu–Fe Alloy Solidified under a High Magnetic Field

Abstract

Cu-11 mass% Fe alloy samples were solidified with and without a high magnetic field. The influence of a high magnetic field and cooling rate on the morphology, alignment and distribution of primarily precipitated Fe-rich phase has been investigated. We found that the primary phase of Fe-rich was equiaxed dendrites or columnar dendrites under the combinations effect of magnetic field and initial cooling rate. And Fe-rich primary phase with random alignment was mainly observed in the upper region of the sample solidified without the magnetic field. In the case of the sample solidified with the magnetic field of 7.5 T, however, Fe-rich phase was uniformly distributed and the Fe-rich phase at some areas was aligned parallel to the direction of the magnetic field. Furthermore, slower cooling rate was beneficial to the alignment but was not to the uniform distribution. These phenomena were well discussed from the viewpoint of magnetic shape anisotropy and convection under the high magnetic field.