The shape of liquid Pb inclusions in Al was investigated by in-situ electron microscopy over a temperature interval from 300 to 500°C. The inclusion shape was found to depend on size and temperature. During isothermal annealing after melting, small inclusions rounded off while larger inclusions remained faceted until the temperature was raised to about 500°C. During subsequent cooling, inclusions refaceted, although less strongly than during heating. The shape hysteresis between heating and cooling cycles was found to be due to the barrier of ledge nucleation necessary to advance the faceted interfaces. The observations show that the step energy depends on temperature and its disappearance at about 540-600°C indicates a roughening transition.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.