Undercooling and Nucleation in Rapid Solidification Rate Metal Powders Using Solid in Solid Emulsification

Fine particulates, with dimensions of 10 microns or less, offer a unique opportunity to study phase transitions between the liquid and solid states as well as means to obtain material properties for undercooled liquids not obtainable in bulk samples. These advantages are exploited in both metal powder and ceramic powder processing technology. In fact, metal powders find many applications where homogeneous structures are beneficial. Such homogeneous structures being obtained by segregationless solidification at high undercooling. Representative applications for controlled narrow size distribution metal powders include superalloys, superplastic aluminum alloys, composite materials, magnetic recording media, ferrofluids and conducting plastics. Developments in Rapid Solidification Processing RSP have enabled superalloy powders to be used for high temperature and pressure applications. RSP metal and alloy powders are typically produced through atomization from-the-melt processes.