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Microstructural evolution of unidirectionally solidified NbSS-Nb5Si3 eutectic alloy

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Abstract

The microstructure of NbSS-Nb5Si3 eutectic alloys unidirectionally solidified at various growth rates and the phase boundary characteristics between niobium solid solution (NbSS) and Nb5Si3 phases in these alloys were studied, by using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) method. Lower growth rate is beneficial to form lamellar eutectic structure. When the growth rate decreased to 3 mm/h, large-scale regular lamellas could be detected in alternative distribution. Three kinds of crystallographic orientation patterns, i.e. {111}Nb//{011}Nb5Si3, {110}Nb//{111}Nb5Si3 and {112}Nb//{100}Nb5Si3 were identified in lamellar and non-lamellar eutectic structures with different growth rate conditions. Associated with the X-ray diffraction (XRD) results about investigated alloys, two-phase eutectic growth shows strong preferential orientation when growth rate is low. The influence of growth rate on microstructural evolution in unidirectionally solidified NbSS-Nb5Si3 eutectic alloy had been discussed in this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Material Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Beijing, 100191, China

    Yuanyuan Lu, Jin Zhang, Lixi Tian, Yulong Li & Chaoli Ma

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  1. Yuanyuan Lu
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  2. Jin Zhang
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  3. Lixi Tian
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  4. Yulong Li
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  5. Chaoli Ma
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Correspondence to Yuanyuan Lu.

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Lu, Y., Zhang, J., Tian, L. et al. Microstructural evolution of unidirectionally solidified NbSS-Nb5Si3 eutectic alloy. Rare Metals 30 (Suppl 1), 335–339 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-011-0298-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-011-0298-1

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