Bulk nanostructured alloy formation with controllable grain size

Abstract

It was demonstrated that bulk nanostructured materials can be prepared by rapidly solidifying a eutectic alloy melt. Prior to solidification, the undercooled melt has to undergo liquid phase spinodal decomposition. Although the average grain size of an as-prepared bulk nanostructured alloy can be as small as 3–6 nm, there is actually little control over its grain size. It turned out that by introducing intermediate isothermal annealing to the rapid solidification process, bulk nanostructured alloy ingots of diameter >1 cm can be synthesized with controllable grain size.