Modeling of Cell/Dendrite Transition During Directional Solidification of Ti-Al Alloy Using Cellular Automaton Method

Solute diffusion controlled solidification model was used to simulate the initial stage cellular to dendrite transition of Ti44Al alloys during directional solidification at different velocities. The simulation results show that during this process, a mixed structure composed of cells and dendrites was observed, where secondary dendrites are absent at facing surface with parallel closely spacod dendrites, which agrees with the previous experimental observation. The dendrite spacings are larger than cellular spacings at a given rate, and the columnar grain spacing sharply increases to a maximum as solidification advance to coexistence zone. In addition, simulation also revealed that decreasing the numbers of the seed causes the trend of unstable dendrite transition to increase. Finally, the main influence factors affecting cell/dendrite transition were analyzed, which could be the change of growth rates resulting in slight fluctuations of liquid composition occurred at growth front. The simulation results are in reasonable agreement with the results of previous theoretical models and experimental observation at low cooling rates.