Crystal Alignment of Bi-Sn Alloy by Simultaneous Imposition of a Static Magnetic Field and an Alternating Current during Solidification

Crystal alignment of a Bi-10mass%Sn alloy solidified under different electromagnetic field imposing condition has been experimentally investigated in this study Simultaneous imposition of a static magnetic field and an alternating current excited an electromagnetic vibration and it promoted nucleation and resulted in decrease of undercooling though imposition of the static magnetic field alone did not affect the undercooling Furthermore grain size of the solidified structure under the simultaneous imposition of the static magnetic field and the alternating current was smaller than that solidified with the magnetic field alone or solidified without the electromagnetic field imposition XRD pattern of the sample solidified without the electromagnetic field imposition was similar to that of bismuth powder On the contrary only specific crystal plane peaks were observed when the electromagnetic field was imposed on the sample during the solidification That is crystal alignment of bismuth rich primary phase was achieved not only by the static magnetic field imposition alone but also the simultaneous imposition of the static magnetic field and the alternating current However degree of the crystal alignment solidified under the latter electromagnetic condition was slightly higher than that solidified under the former electromagnetic condition