Statistical Mechanics of Microstructure Evolution

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9214852 Glicksman Experimental and theoretical studies are conducted on the geometric evolution and kinetics of microstructures in two-phase binary alloys. The two main thrusts of the research are: (1) creation of a suitable data statistical framework for describing the average geometrical trajectories of complex 3-dimensional microstructures evolving from their initial phase transformation states toward thermodynamic equilibrium; and (2) companion experiments which provide precision stereological data to quantify observed microstructural changes occurring under well defined conditions of composition, temperature, phase fraction, etc. The microstructural trajectories are themselves described quantitatively on a geometric phase plane". Experiments include isochronal annealing studies, both with and without an applied magnetic field to eliminate microconvection in solid-liquid alloys, then analyzed stereologically with a new image processing tool. %%% This study should add fundamental understanding of how complex, technologically important systems evolve geometrically and kinetically during processing and approach thermodynamic equilibrium. ***