A study on the effect of ultrasonic treatment on the microstructure of Sn-30 wt.% Bi alloy

The effect of ultrasonic treatment on the microstructure of Sn-30 wt.% Bi alloy was studied at different temperatures. Results showed that the ultrasonic treatment could effectively refine the microstructure of Sn-30 wt.% Bi alloy at a temperature range between the liquidus and solidus. Application of the ultrasound could fragment the primary Sn dendrites during solidification due to a mixed effect of ultrasonic cavitation and acoustic streaming. The divorced eutectic formed when the ultrasonic treatment was applied for the whole duration of the solidification. The eutectic phase grew and surrounded the primary Sn dendrite, and pure Bi phase grew in between the Sn dendritic fragments. The mechanism of the fragmentation of dendrites and the divorced eutectic structure by ultrasonic treatment was discussed.