Columnar to Equiaxed Transition During Solidification of Small Ingot by Using Electric Current Pulse

A new approach to applying the electric current pulse （ECP） with parallel electrodes to the promotion of the transition from columnar crystal to equiaxed crystal and the improvement of macrosegregation was introduced. The ECP was applied to different stages of the solidification. The results showed that the application of the ECP in both the initial stage （the thickness of solidified shell reached 2 mm approximately） and the late stage （the thickness of solidified shell reached 14 mm approximately） of solidification can promote the columnar to equiaxed transition （CET）. The analysis showed that during solidification, a large number of nuclei around the upper surface fell off due to ECP, which subsequently showered on the melt and impinged the growth front of the columnar crystal. Therefore, the CEToccurred. In addition, this method was also employed to influence the solidification process of bearing steel, and the results showed that the structure was changed from columnar crystal to equiaxed crystal, indicating that ECP can enhance the homogeneity of structure and composition of bearing steel.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of directionally solidified Al-rich Ni_(3)Al-based alloy under static magnetic field

The influence of a longitudinal static magnetic field on microstructures and mechanical properties of Ni_(3)Al-based alloy during directional solidification at the growth speed of 25μm/s and 100μm/s has been experimentally investigated.Results reflected that the utilization of a 0.5 T magnetic field refines the Ni Al dendrites at both speeds of growth.When applying a high magnetic field,the columnar-to-equiaxed transition(CET)occurred at growth speed of 25μm/s and dendrite networks formed at growth speed of 100μm/s.Tensile property results indicated that the refinement of dendrites enhanced both plasticity and ultimate tensile strength of Ni-Al alloy.The change of microstructures and mechanical properties should be attributed to the combined action of the thermoelectric magnetic convection(TEMC)in mushy zone together with the thermoelectric magnetic force(TEMF)acting on the solid.When applying a low magnetic field(0.5 T),the TEMF is too small to fragment the dendrites,and the refined dendrites is mainly due to the TEMC in the interdendritic regions.At a lower growth speed,the TEMF is supposed to strong enough to fragment the dendrites and induce the occurrence of CET under 2 or 4 T.When the growth speed increased to 100μm/s,no obvious CET was observed,but a vertical secondary convection is induced by the circulation in the parallel plane,which promotes the growth of secondary and tertiary branches,leading to the formation of abnormally developed high order dendrites.The hierarchical dendritic structure was suggested to provide a channel for rapid crack propagation and thus degraded the mechanical properties.