Phase Field Model Simulation of Grain Growth in Three Dimensions under Isotropic and Anisotropic Grain Boundary Energy Conditions

Abstract

Phase-field model (PFM) in multiple orientation fields was used to simulate the grain growth in three-dimensions (3-D) for isotropic and anisotropic grain boundary energy. In the simulation, the polycrystalline microstructure was described by a set of non-conserved order parameters and each order parameter describes each orientation of grains. For isotropic grain boundary energy, the simulation showed the microstructure evolution of normal grain growth. For anisotropic grain boundary energy, however, the simulation showed that certain grains which share a high fraction of low energy grain boundaries with other grains have a high probability to grow by wetting along triple junctions and can grow abnormally with a growth advantage of solid-state wetting. The PFM simulation shows the realistic microstructural evolution of island and peninsular grains during abnormal grain growth by solid-state wetting.