Thermodynamic criterion of separated eutectic phenomena

Abstract

About 26 kinds of simple and complex binary eutectics were frozen directionally under the condition of electromagnetic stirring. It was found that anomalous eutectics including most metals/non-metals and some metal/intermetalIic eutectics, can be separated on macroscopic scale by flow caused by electromagnetic stirring. Moreover, the eutectics in which one of their component phases possess an entropy of solution over 23 J mol(-1) K-1, showed notable separation. In addition, process factors also affect the formation of a separated eutectic. (C) 1998 Chapman & Hall.