| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/T10374/01 |
| Title: |
A Phase-Field Model for Simulating the Coupled Thermal-Chemical Solidification of Alloys |
| Principal Investigator: |
Mullis, Professor AM |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Institute of Materials Research |
| Organisation: |
University of Leeds |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 November 2004 |
Ends: |
31 October 2007 |
Value (£): |
129,647
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Materials Characterisation |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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One of the most powerful techniques to emerge in recent years for modelling solidification microstructures is the phase field method. However, the computationally intensive nature of this type of modelling has to date restricted the application of the technique to pure metals or to alloys solidifying under isothermal conditions (i.e. latent heat is ignored). While the isothermal approximation is valid for most conventional casting processes it is not appropriate to rapid solidification conditions where, due to the onset of solute trapping, the rate limiting process shifts from solute to thermal diffusion.In this proposal we outline the computational techniques by which phase-field software could be developed to solve the coupled heat-solute diffusion problem for alloys growing non-isothermally and with realistic values for the thermal and chemical diffusivities. Such a model could significantly improve understanding of the fundamentals of dendritic growth in alloys. Solvability theory & phase-field modelling have placed predictions of dendrite tip radius and growth morphology on a firm theoretical footing for pure thermal and solutal growth, but alloy systems can still only be studied within the framework of the largely discredited marginal stability theory. This project aims to rectify this situation. The software developed will be used to study tip radius selection and side-branch structure in alloy systems in the solute trapping regime. We expect that this will also have bearing on a number of long standing problems in dendritic growth theory such as velocity enhancement in dilute alloys and spontaneous grain refinement.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
http://www.digital.leeds.ac.uk/software |
| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.leeds.ac.uk |