By employing the phase-field-crystal models, the atomic crystallization process of hexagonal and square crystals is investigated with the emphasis on the growth mechanism and morphological change. A unified regime describing the crystallization behavior of both crystals is obtained with the thermodynamic driving force varying. By increasing the driving force,, both crystals （in the steady-state） transform from a faceted polygon to an apex-bulged polygon, and then into a symmetric dendrite. For the faceted polygon, the interface advances by a layer-by-layer （LL） mode while for the apex-bulged polygonal and the deridritic crystals, it first adopts the LL mode and then transits into the multi-layer （ML） mode in the later stage. In particular, a shift of the nucleation sites from the face center to the area around the crystal tips is detected in the early growth stage of both crystals and is rationalized in terms of the relation between the crystal size and the driving force distribution. Finally, a parameter characterizing the complex shape change of square crystal is introduced.
A semi-empirical interatomic potential formalism,the second-nearest-neighbor modified embedded-atom method(2NN MEAM),has been applied to obtaining interatomic potentials for the Co-W and Al-W binary system using previously developed MEAM potentials of Co,Al and W.The potential parameters were determined by fitting the experimental data on the enthalpy of formation,lattice parameter,melting point and elastic constants.The present potentials generally reproduce the fundamental physical properties of the Co-W and Al-W systems accurately.The lattice parameters,the enthalpy of formation,the thermal stability and the elastic constants match well with experiment and the first-principles results.The enthalpy of mixing and the enthalpy of formation and mixing of liquid are in good agreement with CALPHAD calculations.The potentials can be easily combined with already-developed MEAM potentials for binary cobalt systems and can be used to describe Co-Al-W-based multicomponent alloys,especially for interfacial properties.
Based on the microscopic phase-field model, the correlation between site occupation evolution of alloying elements in Ni3V-DO22 phase and growth of Ni3Al-L12 phase was studied during the phase transformation of Ni75Al4.2V20.8. The results demonstrate that the growth of L12 phase can be divided into two stages： at the early stage, the composition of alloying elements in DO22 phase almost remains unchanged; at the late stage, the compositions of Ni and Al decrease while V increases in DO22 phase. Part of alloying elements for L12 phase growth are supplied from the site occupation evolution of alloying elements on three kinds of sublattices in DO22 phase. Ni is mainly supplied from V sublattice, and part of Al is supplied from NiⅠ and V sites at the centre of DO22 phase. The excessive V from the decreasing DO22 phase migrates into the centre of DO22 phase and mainly occupies V and NiII sites. It is the site occupation evolution of antisite atoms and ternary additions in DO22 phase that controls the growth rate of L12 phase at the late stage.
Using the phase field crystal approach, the crystallization process within the liquid-solid coexistence region is inves- tigated for a square lattice on an atomic scale. Two competing growth modes, i.e., the diffusion-controlled growth through long-range atomic migration in liquid and the diffusionless growth through local atom rearrangement, which give rise to two completely different crystallization behaviors, are compared. In the diffusion-controlled regime, the interface migrates in a layerwise manner, leading to a gradual change of crystal morphology from truncated square to four-fold symmetric dendrite with the increase of driving force. For the diffusionless growth mode, a single crystal with no significant density change occupies the whole system at a faster rate while exhibiting a small growth anisotropy. The competition between these two modes is also discussed from the key input of the phase field crystal model： the correlation function.
The second phase particle effect on texture evolution of polycrystalline material is studied through phase-field method. A unique field variable is introduced into the phase-field model to represent the second phase particles. Elastic interaction between particles and grains is also considered. Results indicate that in the presence of second phase particles the average particle diameter turns smaller than in the absence of these particles and retards texture formation by pinning effect. The second phase particles change the strain energy profile, which tremendously influences the pinning effect.
With microscopic phase-field kinetic model, atomic-scale computer simulation program for the precipitation sequence and microstructure evolution of the ordered intermetallic compound γ＇ and θ in ternary Ni75AlxV25-x alloy were studied. The simulation results show that Al concentration has important effects on the precipitation sequence. When Al concentration in Ni75AlxV25-x alloy is low, 0（Ni3V） ordered phase will be firstly precipitated, followed by γ＇（Ni3Al） ordered phase. With Al concentration increasing, θ and γ＇ ordered phases are simultaneously precipitated. With A1 concentration further increasing, γ＇ ordered phase is firstly precipitated, followed by θ ordered phase. There is a competition relationship between θ and γ＇ ordered phases during growth and coarsening process. No matter which first precipitates, θ ordered phase always occupies advantage in the competition process of coarsening, thus, the microstructure with preferred orientation is formed.
