Title:	Numerical simulation of spinodal decomposition and sigma phase formation in stainless steels
DNr:	SNIC 2014/1-330
Project Type:	SNIC Medium Compute
Principal Investigator:	Joakim Odqvist <odqvist@kth.se>
Affiliation:	Kungliga Tekniska högskolan
Duration:	2014-10-31 – 2015-11-01
Classification:	20506
Homepage:	http://www.hero-m.mse.kth.se/
Keywords:

Abstract

In order to study the dynamics of phase transformation using numerical techniques, diffuse interface methods have been used increasingly over the last ten years. In materials science the most well known is the phase-field model. In this approach a new field variable, the order parameter Φ, is used to track the phase boundary. A value of Φ = 0 or 1 designates the two phases, and transition regions where Φ take intermediate values are identified with the phase boundary. The sharp interfaces are thus modeled as diffuse interface regions. This has the advantage that simulations do not have to track phase boundaries explicitly, and that there are no problems in treating phase regions with changing topology, i.e. multiply connected, disconnecting or connecting phase boundaries. The disadvantage is of course that the diffuse interface has to be resolved numerically, and that this puts increased demands on the numerical efficiency. The aim of this project is to develop a phase field model for the prediction of spinodal decomposition and the sigma phase formation in stainless steels. The model should be able to account for the effect of different alloying elements, morphology (grain structure) and temperature (isothermal, continuous cooling).