Massachusetts Institute of Technology

David V Ragone

Merton C Flemings

The invention is directed to a method of making liquid metal compositions containing a large number of solid particles per unit volume, without external heat removal, which solid particles act as nuclei for grains when the metal is solidified. A method of forming a metal solid includes the step of partially removing a solute of a liquid metallic solution which is at its liquidus temperature to partially solidify a metal solvent component, thereby forming a solid fraction, wherein there is essentially no reduction in temperature of the liquid metallic solution and solid fraction. The method further includes the step of subsequently lowering the temperature of the liquid metallic solution and solid fraction to solidify the remaining liquid metallic solution and thereby form a solid that includes the solid fraction formed during the step of partial solute removal. In an embodiment, the method further includes turbulence from gas evolution which aids in solid particle formation and grain refinement.

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Westwood, MA, United States of America

David V Ragone