Modeling of surface melting and resolidification for pure metals and binary alloys: Effect of non-equilibrium kinetics

A one-dimensional model including non-equilibrium phenomena was developed for surface melting and resolidification of both pure metals and binary alloys substrates. Non-equilibrium kinetics from crystal growth theory are introduced in the model to treat both non-equilibrium melting and resolidification. The modelled problem involves a moving boundary with both heat and solute diffusions and is solved by an implicit control volume integral method with solid/liquid interface immobilization by coordinate transformation. For illustration of the model applicability, we have analyzed laser surface melting of pure metals (Al, Cu, Ni, Ti) and dilute Al-Cu alloys, and some typical results are presented. The computation results show large solid overheating and melt undercooling which result from the high heat flux and the slow kinetics. The melt undercooling is maintained during most of the resolidification process and so is the high solidification rate. Complex interface velocity variations during the earlier stages of resolidification were obtained and result from interactions between various physical mechanisms. A strong effect of the solute on the interface velocity was also predicted.