In situ observation of containerless solidification from undercooled Lu₂O₃ and Y₂O₃ melts

Abstract

Containerless solidification processes in undercooled Lu₂O₃ and Y₂O₃ melts were investigated using an aerodynamic levitation furnace and a high-speed video. Double recalescence, indicative of two successive phase transitions, was observed for both oxides. The melting point following the first recalescence (T _M1) was higher than that of the second (T _M2) for Y₂O₃, which suggests that Y₂O₃ has a phase transition from a melt to a high temperature phase at T _M1, and then to a room temperature phase at T _M2. Two solid phases of Lu₂O₃ were also identified at T _M1 and T _M2. However, in contrast to Y₂O₃, T _M1 was lower than T _M2 for Lu₂O₃. This implies that the first crystallized phase from a melt is a metastable phase. The life duration of this metastable Lu₂O₃ was in the order of tens of milliseconds.

Keywords:

• containerless processing
• metastable phase
• an aerodynamic levitation furnace
• double recalescence
• rare-earth sesquioxides