Evolution of Dendritic Patterns During Directional Solidification of Ni-Base Alloys: Towards Hexagonally Ordered, Close-Packed Dendrite Arrays.
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| Title: | Evolution of Dendritic Patterns During Directional Solidification of Ni-Base Alloys: Towards Hexagonally Ordered, Close-Packed Dendrite Arrays. |
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| Authors: | Dong, Hongbiao1 (AUTHOR) h.dong.1@bham.ac.uk |
| Source: | Metallurgical & Materials Transactions. Part A. May2026, Vol. 57 Issue 5, p1709-1722. 14p. |
| Subjects: | Directional solidification, Hexagonal close packed structure, Microstructure, Nickel alloys, Solidification, Dendritic crystals |
| Abstract: | Dendrites are the predominant microstructural feature formed during the solidification of metallic alloys. In directionally solidified alloys, the length scale and regularity of dendritic patterns strongly influence final properties. We introduce a supervised machine learning approach, shape-limited primary spacing (SLPS), that automatically and rapidly quantifies local primary dendrite arm spacing (PDAS) and packing order from microstructural images. SLPS provides a general, image-driven framework for quantifying directionally solidified dendrite structures. By applying SLPS to directionally solidified microstructures and to complementary simulations using a solutal dendrite model, we investigate how hexagonally ordered dendrite arrays correspond to near steady-state tip growth under homogeneous liquid composition. The admissible range of local PDAS is determined by local growth-rate variations and the degree of lateral adjustment to thermal–solutal gradients. Simulations comparing packing geometries (square vs. hexagonal in two-dimensional cross sections) reveal that hexagonal arrays adapt local PDAS more readily than square arrays, owing to enhanced secondary-arm development and tertiary-to-primary branching. Consequently, hexagonally packed dendrite arrays yield finer PDAS than square-packed ones. These findings provide a mechanistic basis for process design: seeding or processing routes that promote hexagonally ordered, close-packed dendrite arrays can achieve finer PDAS, thereby reducing microsegregation, lowering the propensity for defect-grain formation, and shortening solution heat treatment times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Metallurgical & Materials Transactions. Part A is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Engineering Source |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 193084952 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Evolution of Dendritic Patterns During Directional Solidification of Ni-Base Alloys: Towards Hexagonally Ordered, Close-Packed Dendrite Arrays. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dong%2C+Hongbiao%22">Dong, Hongbiao</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> h.dong.1@bham.ac.uk</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Metallurgical+%26+Materials+Transactions%2E+Part+A%22">Metallurgical & Materials Transactions. Part A</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 57 Issue 5, p1709-1722. 14p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Directional+solidification%22">Directional solidification</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hexagonal+close+packed+structure%22">Hexagonal close packed structure</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Microstructure%22">Microstructure</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nickel+alloys%22">Nickel alloys</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Solidification%22">Solidification</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dendritic+crystals%22">Dendritic crystals</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Dendrites are the predominant microstructural feature formed during the solidification of metallic alloys. In directionally solidified alloys, the length scale and regularity of dendritic patterns strongly influence final properties. We introduce a supervised machine learning approach, shape-limited primary spacing (SLPS), that automatically and rapidly quantifies local primary dendrite arm spacing (PDAS) and packing order from microstructural images. SLPS provides a general, image-driven framework for quantifying directionally solidified dendrite structures. By applying SLPS to directionally solidified microstructures and to complementary simulations using a solutal dendrite model, we investigate how hexagonally ordered dendrite arrays correspond to near steady-state tip growth under homogeneous liquid composition. The admissible range of local PDAS is determined by local growth-rate variations and the degree of lateral adjustment to thermal–solutal gradients. Simulations comparing packing geometries (square vs. hexagonal in two-dimensional cross sections) reveal that hexagonal arrays adapt local PDAS more readily than square arrays, owing to enhanced secondary-arm development and tertiary-to-primary branching. Consequently, hexagonally packed dendrite arrays yield finer PDAS than square-packed ones. These findings provide a mechanistic basis for process design: seeding or processing routes that promote hexagonally ordered, close-packed dendrite arrays can achieve finer PDAS, thereby reducing microsegregation, lowering the propensity for defect-grain formation, and shortening solution heat treatment times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Metallurgical & Materials Transactions. Part A is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s11661-025-08072-0 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 14 StartPage: 1709 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Directional solidification Type: general – SubjectFull: Hexagonal close packed structure Type: general – SubjectFull: Microstructure Type: general – SubjectFull: Nickel alloys Type: general – SubjectFull: Solidification Type: general – SubjectFull: Dendritic crystals Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Evolution of Dendritic Patterns During Directional Solidification of Ni-Base Alloys: Towards Hexagonally Ordered, Close-Packed Dendrite Arrays. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Dong, Hongbiao IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 05 Text: May2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 10735623 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 57 – Type: issue Value: 5 Titles: – TitleFull: Metallurgical & Materials Transactions. Part A Type: main |
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