Phase selection of undercooled solidification of Ni-4.5 wt% B alloy

Solidification of undercooled Ni-4.5 wt% B alloy melt was investigated by glass fluxing and cyclic superheating. A maximum melt undercooling up to Delta T-p = 283 K has been achieved. If Delta T-p < 175 +/- 10 K, the primary solidification is L -> Ni3B; the structure consists of Ni3B dendrite + lamellar eutectic; the phase sizes and fractions depend on Delta T-p. If Delta T-p >= 175 +/- 10 K, the primary solidification is L -> Ni/Ni23B6; the structure consists of the dot-phase region + the anomalous eutectic/network boundary; the phase fractions mainly depend on Delta T-r; the dot phases are determined as rod eutectic and dot precipitates, while the network boundary is the divorced eutectic. The solidification pathways show that there is a common critical nucleation temperature, 1227 +/- 10 K, for metastable eutectic reaction in hypoeutectic and hypereutectic Ni-Ni3B alloys.