Metastable Structures in Alloys Rapidly Cooled from the Melt

Author: Klement, William, Jr.

Year: 1962

Degree: Dissertation (Ph.D.)

Advisor: Duwez, Pol E.

Committee Member: Unknown, Unknown

Option: Engineering

DOI: 10.7907/HHG6-AY94

Abstract

Small amounts of liquid alloys are cooled to the solid state very rapidly by means of a technique which is described in detail. Procedures for studying the resultant thin, irregular foils are discussed; most of the results are obtained from x-ray diffraction experiments. Among the nonequilibrium structures found in various alloys are cited the metastable solid solutions in silver-copper and gallium antimonide-germanium alloys, the extended primary solid solutions in some silver-base alloys, and the metastable hexagonal close-packed structures in silver-germanium alloys. The quenching technique is discussed and tentative criteria for the prediction and rationalization of certain metastable structures in alloy systems are inferred from an analysis of the process.

Files