In Situ and Real Time Observation of Microstructure Formation during Directional Solidification of a 3D-alloy: Experiments in the DECLIC-DSI

Nathalie Bergeon (1) , Fatima L. Mota (1) , Jorge Pereda (1) , Damien Tourret (2) , Younggil Song (2) , Jean-Marc Debierre (1) , Rahma Guerin (1) , Alain Karma (2) , Rohit Trivedi (3) , Bernard Billia (1)

1 IM2NP - Institut des Matériaux, de Microélectronique et des Nanosciences de Provence
2 Physics Department and Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Complex Systems
3 Ames Laboratory [Ames, USA]

To analyze the fundamental mechanisms active in the formation of three-dimensional (3D) arrays of cells and dendrites under diffusive growth conditions, in situ monitoring of series of experiments on transparent model alloy was carried out in the DECLIC Directional Solidification Insert on-board the International Space Station, offering a very unique opportunity to in situ characterize the whole development of the microstructure in extended 3D patterns. Some of the most striking results are here presented. Microgravity environment provided the conditions to get benchmark data in diffusive transport conditions; the comparison with ground experiments will be performed to highlight the influence of convection in terms of primary spacing distributions. Oscillatory breathing modes observed for the very first time in bulk samples will also be described with the support of 3D-phase-field simulations.

Mots clés: oscillating patterns; convection; DECLIC; microgravity; Solidification

Domaines: Science non linéaire [physics]; Science des matériaux [cond-mat.mtrl-sci]

Nathalie Bergeon, Fatima L. Mota, Jorge Pereda, Damien Tourret, Younggil Song, et al.. In Situ and Real Time Observation of Microstructure Formation during Directional Solidification of a 3D-alloy: Experiments in the DECLIC-DSI. International Journal of Microgravity Science and Application, 2016, 33 (2), pp.330207. ⟨10.15011/jasma.33.330207⟩. ⟨hal-01637146⟩