Influence of Supercooling on Formation of Primary Phase

Abstract

It is reported actual volume fraction of primary phase in alloys is larger than the equilibrium value. Larger volume fraction of the primary phase may cause shrinkage cavities and surface or internal cracks. Although control of solidified structure is important for the quality of cast products, this problem has not been elucidated. Taking these results into account, this study has been carried out in order to comprehend a phenomenon of larger volume fraction of primary phase. Sn-Pballoy has been used as a test alloy and to examine the relation between supercooling for nucleation and the volume fraction of primary phase has been mainly characterized. Actually, volume fraction of primary phase in Sn-Pballoy is larger than that of lever rule. It was also observed that the volume fraction of β-Sn decreases with decreasing the supercooling in early stage of solidification. In the final stage of solidification, however, the effect of supercooling on volume fraction of primary phase is small. Furthermore, when the supercooling was low, volume fraction of primary phase was slowly increased.