Phase selection during solidification of undercooled Ni70.2Si29.8 eutectic alloy

High undercooling (about 392K) was achieved in the bulk eutectic Ni70.2Si29.8 alloy melt through glass fluxing combined with cyclic superheating. It is found that the metastable phases Ni3Si2 and NiSi are obtained through slow post-solidification when undercooling exceeds 240K. The metastable phases are confirmed by using the method of X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Based on the principle of the free energy minimum and the transient nucleation theory, the phase selection of melt is investigated with regard to the metastable phases formation in the bulk undercooled eutectic Ni70.2Si29.8 melts. The formation of metastable phases from undercooled Ni70.2Si29.8 melts is ascribed to competitive nucleation with the undercooling, i.e. high undercooling facilitates the preferential nucleation of metastable phases.