Competing mechanisms for precipitate coarsening in phase separation with vacancy dynamics

P. Fratzl, O. Penrose

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

43 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner (LSW) mechanism for coarsening of a binary alloy depends on the diffusion of minority (B) atoms through the A-rich matrix from one precipitate to another. An alternative mechanism is the coagulation of large precipitates. We describe computer experiments and theoretical estimates showing that if the diffusion mechanism is the exchange of neighboring atoms (Kawasaki dynamics) the LSW process always predominates, giving R8t1/3 for the time dependence of the mean precipitate radius. But if the diffusion mechanism is the exchange of an atom with a vacancy then coagulation (R8t1/5) can predominate at intermediate times if the temperature is low enough.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)R6101-R6104
JournalPhysical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume55
Issue number10
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 1997

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Competing mechanisms for precipitate coarsening in phase separation with vacancy dynamics'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this