Non-equilibrium solidification of concentrated Fe–Ge alloys

The solidification of concentrated alloys containing ordered compounds is less well understood. These alloys often exhibit complex phase change like peritectic reaction during liquid to solid transformation. The Fe-rich part of Fe–Ge binary alloy system consists of several critical points and ordered–disorder transitions and can be used as a model system to study the effect of departure from equilibrium on the solidification microstructure. In order to understand the phase selection and morphological transitions, undercooling and recalescence behaviour; growth rate of the solidifying phases and microstructure need to be explored. In the present paper, we summarise the results obtained in several iron rich alloy compositions (Fe–(14–25) at.% Ge) using techniques of melt quenching, levitation and laser resolidification. These results provide insight to the current theories of dendritic growth and reveals possibility of a new pathway for phase evolution in peritectic alloys at high undercooling involving a massive transformation.