Atomic Distance Tuning Effect for Nucleation in Liquid Iron

Liquid structural evolution of iron with various oxides was tracked from above liquidus to undercooling temperatures using an in situ high-energy X-ray diffraction method. The icosahedral-like orders and its enhancement with the decreasing temperature in all the liquids investigated suggest that icosahedral-like orders are not the sole reasons responsible for the variation of undercooling. The reduction of nearest-neighbor distance (r1) tuned by catalyzers contributes to the enhanced nucleation behavior of liquid iron.