Interfacial morphology evolution in directionally solidified Al-1.5%Cu alloy

The solid-liquid interfacial morphology evolution was investigated in directional solidification (DS) of Al-1.5%Cu alloy (mass fraction). The results show that the solidified microstructural evolution is gradual other than sharp, and the microstructure patterns are interesting and diversiform at the pulling rate ranging from 30 μm/s to 1500 μm/s. Indeed, dendrite to cell transition follows this sequence: dendrites→banded cellular dendrites→elongated cells and part of dendrites→main elongated cells and little dendrites. Moreover, the present microstructure is not normal microstructure as we saw before. Further, according to the experimental phenomenon, the dendrite to cell transition was studied theoretically. Dendrite tip shape is an important parameter to characterize the dendrite to cell transition. As the dendrite to cell transition is far from equilibrium solidification, non-equilibrium solidification is taken into consideration in calculation. Finally, it is speculated that the dendrite to cell transition would occur at the minimum tip radius.