Application of differential thermal analysis to investigation of magnetic field effect on solidification of Al–Cu hypereutectic alloy

Abstract Investigation of solidification in the Al–25 at.%Cu hypereutectic alloy in magnetic fields has been carried out by differential thermal analysis (DTA). The DTA results indicated that the nucleation temperatures of primary Al 2 Cu phases and Al–Al 2 Cu eutectics were lowered and the rates of crystal growth including primary phases and eutectics were reduced although the melting of the alloy was almost not affected in magnetic fields of 6 T and 12 T in comparison with those without a magnetic field. The suppression of nucleation and growth of primary phases and eutectics might be mainly attributed to reduction of diffusion rates of atoms in a magnetic field on the condition of suppression of convections. Primary Al 2 Cu phases oriented along a magnetic field compared with disorder ones without a magnetic field, which was caused by the magnetic anisotropy.