Solidification of Metals

Pure metals, solidify at a fixed temperature,

whereas alloys have a solidification interval.
When solidification occurs a Latent Heat is
produced and the cooling rate decreases ( it is
equal to zero (T=cost) for pure metals).
grain

liquid

nuclei

liquid
Grain boundary
Crystals growth

Solidification of Metals

Metallurgical aspects of solidification

During the solidification, temperature decrease
quickly, often more than what required by the
equilibrium conditions (very low cooling rates).
Hence, its possible to state that a subcooling
occurs; this causes elongated structures (dendrites)
and chemical heterogeneities.
In order to understand this phenomenon, its useful
to think to the solidification front movement and place
a cartesian reference at the solid-liquid interface.

Cs1

liquid
TfA

C0

TfB
Cs1

Cs2

Cl2

A Cs1 Cs2

C0 Cl2

C0

A
Asol (80%)
liquido
TfA

A0 (50%)

TfB

A Cs1 Cs2

C0 Cl2

A=80%

A=50%

B=20%

B=50%

Solidification front

Tliq

Chemical
composition
and
temperature trends according to
the equilibrium diagram.

Ts
Solidification Front

Subcooling

T
Tliq
Real temperature
liquid

Ts

Solidification front

of

Varying the intensity of the subcooling (depending on the real

cooling rate), the solid phase morphology changes.
I

Ts

1. Equiaxic Growth
2. Cellular Growth
3. Dendritic-Cellular Growth
4. Dendritic Growth

II

III

IV
Tliq

Solidification Structures
Cooling rate

Dimensions

Solidification Structures
Dendrites growth is competitive, because
only the ones that nucleates close to the
maximum heat removal direction can grow.

Maximum heat removal

direction

Solidification front and segregations

With the real cooling rate conditions, the
chemical
composition
cannot
be
homogeneous as described by the
equilibrium diagrams.
Between the dendrites, the liquid chemical
composition will be different from the
nominal one ,because these zones are
isolated (micro-segregations).
Breaking the dendrites, the homogenization
is improved.

Solidification front and segregations

Solidification front and segregations

When the solidification front goes on, the liquid
chemical composition is different at the mold
wall and in the inner part of the casting (macrosegregation).
Low melting point alloys and compounds
concentrate at core (especially C, S, P, O).
In heavy steel castings (ingots for example) C
concentrates in the upper zones (positive
segregation).

Positive segregation C, S, P, O

Negative segregation

[%]

Solidification Structures
Even if the cooling rate is high (or the
dimensions are small), the first liquid
solidified as equiaxial very fine grains.
This is due to the contact between the liquid
and the cold mold wall: under these
conditions the heat removal has no
preferential direction.

Solidification Structures

Solidification of a casting
If we could observe the solidification of a
casting versus time, we would see
something like this:

Shrinkage of a casting

1.
2.
3.

Any metal shrinks both during the solidification

and during the following cooling to room
temperature.
This shrinkage results in dimensional variations,
but it can even give rise to defects and cracks,
especially near edges or where some obstacle to
shrinkage exists.
The total amount of shrinkage is given by:
Thermal shrinkage of the liquid before
solidification;
Shrinkage during solidification;
Thermal shrinkage of the metal during cooling to
room temperature.

Shrinkage of a casting
Some metals and alloys, instead, show an
expansion during solidification.

Solidification defects
Cavities due to shrinkage missing or not
enough liquid metal supply in some regions
of the casting.
Cracks.
Surface defects (folds, sand or refractory
materials inclusions)
Geometrical and/or dimensional problems
due to solidification shrinkage.
Non metallic inclusions.
Porosities.