Phase-Field Modeling of Solidification in Light-Metal Matrix Nanocomposites

TL;DR

This paper develops a phase-field model to simulate how nanoparticles affect solidification and microstructure in light-metal matrix nanocomposites, considering various process parameters and nanoparticle interactions.

Contribution

It introduces a novel phase-field modeling approach incorporating nanoparticle effects and explores their influence on microstructure during solidification.

Findings

Nanoparticles can influence grain size distribution through heterogeneous nucleation.

Material and process parameters significantly affect microstructure evolution.

The model captures nanoparticle dynamics including Brownian motion and interface interactions.

Abstract

The quantitative phase-field approach has been adapted to model solidification in the presence of Metal Matrix Nanocomposites (MMNCs) in a single-component liquid. Nanoparticles of fixed size and shape are represented by additional fields. The corresponding equations of motion are assumed to ensure relaxation dynamics, and can be supplemented by random forces (realizing Brownian motion) or external fields. The nanoparticles are characterized by two model parameters: their mobility and the contact angle they realize with the solid-liquid interface. We investigate the question how grain size distribution can be influenced by heterogeneous nucleation on the nanoparticles and by the front-particle interaction. We explore, furthermore, how materials and process parameters, such as temperature, density and size/shape distribution of the nanoparticles, influence microstructure evolution.