RECENT TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS WITH RAPIDLY SOLIDIFIED MATERIALS

Excellent progress is being made in demonstrating the significant improvements in metallic structures and properties through rapid solidification (RS) and rapid solid-state quenching. A number of atomization techniques are able to achieve solidification rates of the order of 10(5) K/s at economical production rates, yielding excellent refined microstructures with resultant outstanding mechanical, physical, and chemical properties. Powder production rates need to be significantly improved, and several techniques offer realistic promises in this area. The spray deposition processes, which bypass the powder production phase, achieve excellent solidification and solid-state cooling rates and offer high tonnage rates for preforms with outstanding hot, warm, and cold working response and with excellent physical and mechanical properties.