Crystal alignment of Sn-Pb alloy by a simultaneous imposition of a DC current and a static magnetic field during solidification

A new crystal-alignment process in which both a static magnetic field and a direct electric current are imposed on an alloy during solidification was proposed and tested experimentally on Sn-10mass%Pb alloy. Various intensities of a static magnetic field and a direct current were imposed on the sample during solidification. After solidification, cross-sections of the samples were polished and the crystal alignment was evaluated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD). As predicted theoretically, the peaks corresponding to the (200) and (220) planes were intensified in the XRD analysis when a static magnetic field larger of 3T or more was imposed, whereas no crystal alignment was observed with a 0.1 T magnetic field. Therefore, crystal alignment was achieved by this process, and the critical intensity for crystal alignment is between 0.1 T and 3T under the experimental conditions studied.