Numerical modeling of microstructural evolution in three-phase polycrystalline materials

Abstract

Most engineering alloys are used in polycrystalline form. This means that they are made of a large number of grains. The structure formed by the grains is not steady but evolves with time. Understanding the material's microstructure and its evolution helps to control the performance and lifetime of engineering materials. The simulation method based on the Monte Carlo–Potts model of microstructural evolution in a two-phase system has been extended to study microstructural evolution in a three-phase system. The model has been developed and characterized in this study. The model is verified by comparing simulation results of grain growth in the three-phase system to the simulation results in a two-phase system. It is found that grain growth is controlled by diffusion along grain boundaries and follows the power-growth relationship, d~ t 1/n with 1/n= ¼.