Mobile electromagnetic levitator for time-resolved in situ X-ray diffraction studies of high-temperature phase...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Containerless processing avoids crucible contamination for high-temperature studies.
• Synchrotron X-ray diffraction provides detailed structural information.
• Previous methods were limited by reactivity and acquisition speed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a mobile electromagnetic levitator (EML) for in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction.
• To demonstrate the EML's capability in observing high-temperature phase transformations.
• To enable the study of metastable phases in materials like Fe-Co.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing an electromagnetic levitator (EML) for containerless processing.
• Employing time-resolved synchrotron X-ray diffraction with area detectors.
• Analyzing diffraction patterns and instrumental resolution for accurate data.

Main Results:

• Stable processing of various materials, including pure Fe and Fe-Co alloys, was achieved.
• Direct observation of structural changes during melting and solidification was performed.
• First-time observation of metastable phase formation in the Fe-Co system was accomplished.

Conclusions:

• The EML coupled with time-resolved X-ray diffraction is a powerful tool for studying high-temperature transformations.
• This approach facilitates the investigation of metastable phases and disordered states.
• The findings provide a foundation for designing future diffraction experiments with various levitation techniques.