Electric pulse heating device for the analysis of solid/solid phase transformations

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Solid-State Physics
• Physical Chemistry

Background:

• Solid-state phase transformations are crucial in materials processing.
• Existing methods for studying these transformations face limitations in temperature measurement and control.
• Understanding diffusion and interface-controlled mechanisms requires precise experimental conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and demonstrate a novel Ohmic pulse heating device for investigating solid-state phase transformations.
• To overcome limitations of existing setups regarding temperature measurement and sample geometry.
• To enable the study of rapid heating and cooling effects on material microstructures.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a high-current, low-voltage Ohmic pulse heating setup powered by a capacitor array.
• Employed microcontrollers and a solid-state relay for precise pulse control (microsecond adjustable).
• Captured high-resolution infrared temperature data at 1200 fps, synchronized with electrical measurements.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated rapid heating rates up to 10^6 K/s on a brass sample.
• Observed distinct cooling curves in different sample areas, with rates of 10^4 K/s and 10^2 K/s.
• Correlated microstructural analysis with varied cooling rates, indicating different dominant phase transformation mechanisms.

Conclusions:

• The developed Ohmic pulse heating device effectively facilitates the investigation of diffusion and interface-controlled solid-state phase transformations.
• The setup's capability to precisely control heating/cooling and measure local temperatures allows for detailed analysis of phase evolution.
• This technology provides a valuable tool for understanding materials behavior under extreme thermal conditions.