Strong magnetic field effect on the nucleation of a highly undercooled Co-Sn melt.

High magnetic field is a powerful tool to tune the microstructure and improve the properties of materials. In this report, the nucleation behavior of undercooled Co76Sn24 near eutectic alloy under strong homogeneous and gradient magnetic fields have been investigated using glass slag fluxing method in a 12 T superconducting magnet. The mean undercooling of the undercooled melt is not altered by homogeneous magnetic field but depressed by gradient magnetic field. The highest temperature during recalescence is strongly altered by magnetic field, where an enhancement effect is observed under gradient magnetic field and an opposite effect in homogeneous magnetic field. The reason is interpreted by discussion about the magnetic field on the thermodynamics of nucleation and also the purifying effect of the glass slag, the magnetic properties and the magnetic force exerted on the undercooled melt.