5th International Conference on Advances in Solidification Processes (ICASP-5) 5th International Symposium on Cutting Edge of Computer Simulation of Solidification, Casting and Refining (CSSCR-5)

Dendrites are ubiquitous structures that are central to setting material properties but the mechanism behind how dendrites grow is not fully understood. After x-ray synchrotron radiation experiments are performed, the dendritic growth of Al-12.6wt%Cu alloys is studied in 4-dimensions to track the evolution of the 3-dimensional structure as a function of time using novel x-ray tomography algorithms. Starting from a temperature above the liquidus, samples were cooled, at multiple cooling rates, to observe dendritic growth. These experiments provide information on the differences in dendrite tip growth rates, morphologies, branch spacing and interfacial curvatures due to different cooling rates. Two-point spatial correlations are used to investigate these quantities to provide a better insight into the process of dendritic growth.