| Abstract Scope |
In-situ observation of solidification in a high-temperature laser-scanning confocal microscope is hampered by meniscus formation. In order to overcome this impediment, we developed a concentric solidification experimental technique to study in-situ, the progress of the peritectic phase transition in Fe-C alloys and steels. We create a small, stable, floating, liquid, pool within a thin cylindrically shaped disc-shaped specimen, supported by a solid rim. We then follow the progress of solidification and the subsequent phase transitions in-situ as a function of cooling rate. Solidification occurs within a steep temperature gradient and in order to quantify, and model, the progress of solidification, we measured experimentally, the exact temperature at the solid/liquid interface. In order to verify that observations on the surface are representative of bulk behaviour, we introduced a differential thermal analysis technique, by which we proved that our in-situ observations are indeed representative of bulk behaviour. |