From random to predictable: The metal solidification process
Monique Clement
You’ve probably heard that every snowflake is different. Each snowflake’s unique pattern comes from the process by which water changes from a liquid to a solid phase. A snowflake is an example of a dendrite, which is a branched or tree-like structure. Dendrites form in all kinds of minerals as they change phases from liquids to solids, creating unique patterns. Dendrites also form in metals as they change phases from liquid to crystallized solid. Yet, how these microscopic patterns form in a sol