Materials Science Forum, Vol.508, 81-86, 2006
Metastable phase formation in undercooled Nd-Fe-B alloys investigated by in-situ diffraction using synchrotron radiation
Diffraction experiments on electromagnetically levitated Nd-Fe-B alloys during solidification of the undercooled melt have been performed at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF). By using high intensity synchrotron radiation complete diffraction spectra could be detected within a short period of some seconds thus enabling the observation of metastable solidification products that exhibits a limited lifetime. A metastable phase that crystallizes in wide composition range and that initiates the solidification of the stable Nd(2)Fe(14)B(1)-phase (phi-phase) have been observed.
Keywords:undercooling;solidification;metastable phases;electromagnetic levitation;synchrotron radiation;Nd-Fe-B