Theoretical Calculation of the Solid/ Liquid Interfacial Free Energy for Iron, Cobalt and Nickel

Abstract

Solid/ Liquid interfacial free energies, σ_sl in iron group transition metals, Fe, Co, and Ni, and Sn and Bi have been calculated by Ewing's theory. Methods of experimental determination of σ_sl have also been critically reviewed to yield the conclusion that, despite of known difficulties involved, the method by measuring the citical supercooling for homogeneous nucleation gives the most comprehensive, rather reliable data, σ^M.S. _sl, to be compared with the theoretical prediction. The balues of σ^M.S. _sl, however, exhibit negative deviations of about 13 to 30% from the corresponding ones determined by the interface intersection method. Temperature correction for at melting point makes the deviation smaller by about 10%, decreasing the maximum probable error to be about 20%. The theoretical prediction after EWING is shown to give much better agreement (±10%) with the temperature corrected values, ^M.S. _sl (T_m), than those after SKAPSKI or ZADUMKIN.