Simulations of the relative importance of initial size advantage and boundary energy anisotropy in abnormal grain growth

Abstract

In textured materials, initial size advantage competes with boundary energy and mobility anisotropy as a driving force for grain coarsening. High local boundary anisotropy and large pre-existing size advantage encourage abnormal grain growth. In the present work, the importance of these driving forces relative to one another is explored for various initial grain size advantages and texture intensities using a Potts Monte Carlo approach with anisotropic grain boundary energy varying according to the Reed-Shockley model. A size greater than approximately twice the mean grain size was sufficient to virtually ensure a grain has a growth advantage regardless of texture intensity.