Equilibrium segregation and interfacial energy in multicomponent systems

Abstract

A model is developed in the framework of gradient thermodynamics to study the equilibrium composition and energy of interphase boundaries in multicomponent systems. The parameters of the model are related to bulk properties for a nearest-neighbor, ternary regular solution. The model is applied to study the segregation of Au at interphase boundaries in the CuAgAu system, as a function of temperature, bulk composition, and interface orientation. Interfacial segregation is predicted and found to reduce interfacial energy in a manner with the Gibbs adsorption equation.