Abstract: Undereooling eoperiments on binary Ni50 Cu50 alloy melts were conducted. The hypercooling limit of this alloy, which is about 310K, was evaluated by mcasuring plateau time needed for the interkendritic liquid solidification and extmpolating this function to zero. This limit was exceeded first in the binary alloy undereooled by about 320K.The effect of liquid undercooling on the respective microstructure evolution was studied by optical metallogrnphy. The hypercooled microstructure contains rcsidual fragments within grain boundaries and is quite different from those obtained at undercoolings below 310K. The finding indicated the existence of dendrite break up. The dendrite break up may be induced either by remelting or by stress. By considering hyperrooling conditions and comparing two grain ndnement microstructures observed at small and larpe undereoolings, the forms of dendrite break up and the grain refinement mechanism exceeding the hypereooling limit are further discussed.

Key words: hypercooling, grain refinement, dendrite break up, Ni_(50)Cu_(50) alloy