Unique Solidification Science Facilities:

Directional Solidification

Liquid-metal cooling DS units (3)

• Temperatures up to 1100°C
• Nominal thermal gradients ~1-10 K/mm
• Growth rates 4x10-7 to 2 m/s
• Specimen dimension range: dia. (0.1mm to 6mm), length (up to 300mm)
• Maximum growth length (150mm)

High temperature DS unit

• Temperatures up to 1850°C
• Growth rates 4 x10-7 to 2m/s
• Rapid quench capability

Transparent material 2D DS units (3)

• Temperatures up to 400K
• Temperature gradient up to 12K/mm
• Growth velocity control ±5x10-8 m/s
• In-situ digital imaging at 1x10-7m and 1s resolution
• Digital and analog video capability

Transparent material 3D DS unit

• ITO coated quartz tube heating
• Peltier cooling
• Temperature gradient: up to 4K/mm
• Growth velocity: as low as 0.5 mm/s
• Long-working distance lens (120 cm) with resolution ~5 mm
• Axial and lateral cameras

Transparent material 3D-constrained DS unit

• Single cell/dendrite growth in a channel of ~100 mm ID

Transparent-organic preparation facilities

Evaporation/Sublimation distillation columns

10-stage zone refining units (2)

Optical refractometer

Melting-point measurement system

Glovebox for sample preparation in controlled atmosphere

APX-100 analytical balance (max. weight: 100g; precision: 0.1mg)

Crystal orientation selection setup

Interfacial Property Measurement

High temperature grain boundary groove furnace

Transparent-organic grain boundary groove stage

Characterization Facilities

Zeiss Axiovert inverted stage microscope

Metallographic specimen preparation lab (standard equipment)

Leica Polycut Micromilling unit

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Last update: February 19, 2008