Pattern Formation during Melting of Lamellar Eutectics

We present a study of the melting dynamics of a two-phase eutectic solid. In situ, thin-sample experiments using a transparent eutectic alloy and two-dimensional phase field simulations calibrated for the very same alloy are combined to assess pattern formation during directional melting in a temperature gradient. Depending on the melting velocity V_{m} and the spacing λ of the presolidified lamellar microstructure, an unexpectedly rich diversity of melting patterns is observed, with good agreement between experiments and simulations. We unravel the different physical mechanisms leading to this diversity, and establish the scaling behaviors of (i) the penetration of the liquid along the solid-solid interface at large V_{m}, (ii) the thickening of the primary-phase fingers at low V_{m}, and (iii) a period-doubling instability for small λ values. Our Letter provides a fundamental basis for further investigations of eutectic melting, including additive manufacturing during which melting or solidification cycles take place.