Proceedings of an Indo-US Workshop on Principles of Solidification and Materials Processing, Hyderabad, 1988

“Principles of Solidification” offers comprehensive descriptions of liquid-to-solid transitions encountered in shaped casting, welding, and non-biological bulk crystal growth processes. The book logically develops through careful presentation of relevant thermodynamic and kinetic theories and models of solidification occurring in a variety of materials. Major topics encompass the liquid-state, liquid-solid transformations, chemical macro- and microsegregation, purification by fractional crystallization and zone refining, solid-liquid interfaces, polyphase freezing, and rapid solidification processing. Solid-liquid interfaces are discussed quantitatively both as sharp and diffuse entities, with supporting differential geometric descriptions. The book offers: • Detailed mathematical examples throughout to guide readers • Applications of solidification and crystal growth methodologies for preparation and purification of metals, ceramics, polymers and semiconductors • Appendices providing supporting information on special topics covered in the chapters. Readers in materials, metallurgical, chemical, and mechanical engineering will find this to be a useful source on the subjects of solidification and crystal growth. Chemists, physicists, and geologists concerned with melting/freezing phenomena will also find much of value in this book.

Casting is one of the most important processes in materials technology. In this unique book, each step in the casting and solidification process is described and models are set up, which in many cases can be approximated by simplified analytical expressions. All casting methods are featured, including component casting, ingot casting and continuous casting. Applications of the results are given in numerous worked examples within the text. Conclusions on how to avoid cracks, solidification pores, slag inclusions and other defects of the castings, can be drawn from the theoretical models. These conclusions are based on research results, which together give an idea of the development in the manufacture of castings. Most chapters conclude with a number of exercises, answers to which are given at the end of the book. The accompanying 'Guide to Exercises', provides the complete solutions to each of the exercises.