Coupled gas and bubble dynamics at the solidification front

Abstract

The formation and entrapment of gas bubbles during solidification significantly influence the microstructure and mechanical properties of materials, from metallic alloys to ice. While gas segregation at the solidification front is well-documented, the real-time dynamics of bubble nucleation, growth, and engulfment-and their dependence on solidification velocity-remain poorly understood. In this study, we use in situ cryo-confocal fluorescence microscopy to investigate the coupled gas-bubble dynamics at the solidification front of carbonated water, systematically varying the solidification velocity ($V = 1-20 \mu m/s$) while maintaining a constant thermal gradient ($G = 15 K/mm$). Our experiments reveal that bubble nucleation is governed by a characteristic nucleation time, which emerges from the interplay between gas diffusion ahead of the front, nucleation kinetics, and bubble growth, all competing with the advancing solidification front. These results allow us to estimate the critical gas concentration for bubbles nucleation in carbonated water. These results offer a detailed understanding of the mechanisms controlling bubble nucleation and entrapment during solidification at constant thermal gradient. They contribute to the development of strategies to control bubble formation in industrial processes where the presence of bubbles can either be detrimental or intentionally harnessed.