Rapid Solidification of Invar Alloy

The Invar alloy has excellent properties, such as a low coefficient of thermal expansion, but there are few reports about the rapid solidification of this alloy. In this study, Invar alloy solidification at different undercooling (ΔT) was investigated via glass melt-flux techniques. The sample with the highest undercooling of ΔT = 231 K (recalescence height 140 K) was obtained. The thermal history curve, microstructure, hardness, grain number, and sample density of the alloy were analyzed. The results show that with the increase in solidification undercooling, the XRD peak of the sample shifted to the left, indicating that the lattice constant increased and the solid solubility increased. As the solidification of undercooling increases, the microstructure changes from large dendrites to small columnar grains and then to fine equiaxed grains. At the same time, the number of grains also increases with the increase in the undercooling. The hardness of the sample increases with increasing undercooling. If ΔT ≥ 181 K (128 K), the grain number and the hardness do not increase with undercooling.