Solidification of low-alloy steels in heavy ingots: experimental study of the peritectic reaction by in-situ synchrotron radiography

In this PhD project, the goal is to systematically characterize the solidification process, especially the peritectic reaction, in various grades of low-alloy steels, depending on local cooling rates and temperature gradients. The objectives include:

– Observing the development of the solidification structure under cooling conditions similar to those in large forging ingots (columnar and equiaxed zones);

– Describing the kinetics of the peritectic reaction;

– Characterizing the morphology of the mushy zone throughout solidification;

–  Proposing a model to simulate the formation of the solidification structure.

State-of-the-art experiments will be performed with the GaTSBI setup at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility located in Grenoble. Ex-situ complementary techniques will also be employed such as micro X-ray fluorescence and SEM-based observations.