Microstructure formation and in situ phase identification from undercooled Co-61.8 at.% Si melts solidified on an electromagnetic levitator and an electrostatic levitator

Co-61.8 at.% Si (CoSi-CoSi(2)) eutectic alloys were solidified on an electromagnetic levitator (EML) and an electrostatic levitator (ESL) at different undercooling levels. The results indicated that there is only a single recalescence, event at low undercooling with the CoSi intermetallic compound as primary phase, which is independent of processing facilities, on either an EML or an ESL. The microstructure, however, is strongly dependent on the processing facility. The interior melt flow behavior in the sphere solidified at the EML differs substantially from that at the ESL, thus yielding different microstructures. On high undercooling, double recalescence takes place regardless of levitation condition. In situ X-ray diffraction of alloys solidified on the EML demonstrates that the CoSi(2) compound becomes the primary phase upon the first recalescence, and the CoSi intermetallic phase crystallises during the second recalescence. In addition to phase identification, real-time diffraction patterns can also provide additional evidence of the fragmentation of the primary phase and the ripening feature in the subsequent cooling process in the semisolid state. The phase competition between the CoSi and CoSi, compounds is discussed when considering the nucleation barrier. The low interfacial energy of the CoSi(2) phase favors a preferential nucleation event over the CoSi phase, which also plays a critical role in non-reciprocity nucleation and thus yields a double recalescence profile at high undercooling. (C) 2008 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.