Phase selection and microstructure formation in undercooled Co-61.8at.%Si melts under various containerless processing conditions

Abstract

Hypoeutectic Co-61.8at.%Si composition was undercooled and solidified using electromagnetic levitation, electromagnetic levitation under a static magnetic field, electrostatic levitation and glass-fluxing. The samples generally show two thermal events, either separated or continuous depending on undercooling. In-situ monitoring of the two thermal events with a high-speed camera revealed a sudden decrease of dendritic growth velocities of primary phases at a critical undercooling of 88 K. Scanning electron microscopic studies of the solidified samples showed that the CoSi compound and the CoSi2 compound nucleate as the primary phase for low and high undercoolings, respectively. The microstructure of the samples depends not only on undercooling, but also on the onset temperature or delay time of the second thermal event. Melt convection has no influence on primary phase selection in undercooled melts, but it has a significant influence on the delay time and therefore on microstructure formation of the samples for high undercoolings.