# Phase field study of grain boundary effects on spinodal decomposition

Ramanarayan, H and Abinandanan, TA (2003) Phase field study of grain boundary effects on spinodal decomposition. In: Acta Materialia, 51 (16). pp. 4761-4772.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1359-6454(03)00301-X

## Abstract

We have developed a phase field model of a polycrystalline alloy by combining the Cahn–Hilliard model [J Chem Phys 28 (1958) 258] with a model of polycrystals due to Fan and Chen [Acta Mater 45 (1997) 3297]. We have used this model to study grain boundary (GB) effects on spinodal decomposition (SD) in two-dimensional (2D) systems. In binary A–B systems with constant atomic mobility, when the GB-energy $(\gamma\alpha)$ of the A-rich $\alpha$ phase is lower than that $(\gamma\beta)$ of the B-rich $\beta$ phase, decomposition starts by enriching the GB with species A, setting off a composition wave that produces alternating $\alpha$ and $\beta$ bands near the GB. Simultaneously, the grain interiors undergo normal SD. Thus, when decomposition ends, GB-bands coexist with grain interiors with spinodal microstructure. The number of GB bands is rationalized in terms of $(\gamma\beta - \gamma\alpha)$ and the rate of SD in the grain interior. Further, during decomposition, grain growth is effectively suppressed.

Item Type: Journal Article Copyright of this article belongs to Elsevier Science. Spinodal decomposition;Grain boundaries;Phase field models;Coarsening Division of Mechanical Sciences > Materials Engineering (formerly Metallurgy) 01 Jun 2006 22 Feb 2012 08:22 http://eprints.iisc.ernet.in/id/eprint/7275