INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MINERALS METALLURGY AND MATERIALS, cilt.18, sa.6, ss.659-664, 2011 (SCI-Expanded)
Zn-5wt.%Al eutectic alloy was directionally solidified upwards with different growth rate (5.32 to 250.0 micro m/s) at constant temperature gradient (8.50 K/mm) using a Bridgman–type growth apparatus. The values of eutectic spacing (???was measured from transverse sections of the samples. The dependence of eutectic spacing on the growth rate (V) and undercoolings (?T) was determined. The results obtained in this work have been compared with the Jackson-Hunt eutectic theory and the similar experimental results in the literature. Microhardness (HV) of directionally solidified samples was also measured by using microhardness test device. Dependency of the HV on V was investigated. Afterwards, variations of electrical resistivity of casting alloy with the temperature (T) in the range of 300?630 K were measured. The enthalpy of fusion and specific heat (Cp) for the Zn-Al eutectic alloy was determined by means of differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) from heating trace during the transformation from liquid to solid.