Investigations of liquid-liquid transitions in metallic melts by fast differential scanning calorimetry

Abstract

Liquid-liquid transition in metallic melts is an intriguing phenomenon often confused with liquid-liquid separation, oxidation or precipitation. Here, we employ a state-of-the-art ultrafast chip-based differential scanning calorimeter to investigate the thermal behavior of six metallic melts, ranging from unary to quinary systems, at temperatures above their liquidus. Calorimetric signals of liquid-liquid transition vary across systems: Sn melts showed no direct endothermic or exothermic events, though liquid-liquid transition influenced solidification and melting temperatures, while Yb-Zn melts exhibited an exothermic peak during cooling, indicating liquid-liquid transition. Thermal signals in other systems including Li, Pd-Ni-P, Yb-Mg-Zn-Cu and Au-Ag-Pd-Cu-Si, are primarily driven by compositional changes. Our in-situ analysis provides new insights into the structural and compositional evolution of metallic melts, offering significant implications for the design and processing of novel materials.