Microsegregation in multicomponent alloy analysed by quantitative phase-field model

Abstract

Microsegregation behaviour in a ternary alloy system has been analysed by means of quantitative phase-field (Q-PF) simulations with a particular attention directed at an influence of tie-line shift stemming from different liquid diffusivities of the solute elements. The Q-PF model developed for non-isothermal solidification in multicomponent alloys with non-zero solid diffusivities was applied to analysis of microsegregation in a ternary alloy consisting of fast and slow diffusing solute elements. The accuracy of the Q-PF simulation was first verified by performing the convergence test of segregation ratio with respect to the interface thickness. From one-dimensional analysis, it was found that the microsegregation of slow diffusing element is reduced due to the tie-line shift. In two-dimensional simulations, the refinement of microstructure, viz., the decrease of secondary arms spacing occurs at low cooling rates due to the formation of diffusion layer of slow diffusing element. It yields the reductions of degrees of microsegregation for both the fast and slow diffusing elements. Importantly, in a wide range of cooling rates, the degree of microsegregation of the slow diffusing element is always lower than that of the fast diffusing element, which is entirely ascribable to the influence of tie-line shift.