Phase Field Modeling of Microstructure Evolution
James Warren
ABSTRACT: An overview of the phase-field method for modeling alloy
solidification and grain growth is presented together with several
example results. To model solidification, we use a phase-field
variable and its corresponding governing equation to describe the
state (solid or liquid) in a material as a function of position and
time. Then the diffusion equations for heat and solute can be solved
without tracking the liquid-solid interface. The interfacial regions
between liquid and solid involve smooth, but highly localized
variations of the phase-field variable. The method has been applied to
a wide variety of problems including dendritic growth in pure
materials, dendritic, eutectic and peritectic growth in alloys and
solute trapping during rapid solidification. In addition, the method
has also been applied to grain growth, and a whole host of other
microstructural evolution phenomena. Depending on time, discussion of
additional moving boundary problems which can be attacked with the
phase field method will be addressed.
Dr. James A. Warren
Director (Acting), Center for Theoretical and Computational Materials Science
Theoretical Physicist, Metallurgy Division
Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Contact Information:
NIST email:jwarren@nist.gov
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8554 WWW:http://www.ctcms.nist.gov/~jwarren
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8554 Phone: (301)975-5708/FAX:(301)975-4553
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