STEADY-STATE SOLIDIFICATION OF REINFORCED BINARY-ALLOYS

This paper provides a review of theoretical and experimental research to date on the constrained steady state solidification of dilute binar y alloy matrix composites. Steady state solidification can be experime ntally observed in composites which contain a cylindrical reinforcemen t aligned parallel to the growth direction of samples solidified in a Bridgman furnace. Such experiments have been performed by several auth ors, using metallic or succinonitrile-based matrices. It is found that plane front, cellular, and dendritic solidification modes, and transi tions between solidification modes, are all strongly influenced by the reinforcement if its dimensional scale is below those of the solidify ing unreinforced matrix microstructure. General features of these phen omena are reviewed, together with their current theoretical interpreta tion.