The Diffuse Interface Approach In Materials Science

The book is devoted to the application of phase-field (diffuse interface) models in materials science. Phase-field modeling emerged only recently as a theoretical approach to tackle questions concerning the evolution of materials microstructure, the relation between microstructure and materials properties and the transformation and evolution of different phases. This volume brings together the essential thermodynamic ideas as well as the essential mathematical tools to derive phase-field model equations. Starting from an elementary level such that any graduate student familiar with the basic concepts of partial differential equations can follow, it shows how advances in the field of phase-field modeling will come from a combination of thermodynamic, mathematical and computational tools. Also included are two extensive examples of the application of phase-field models in materials science.

This comprehensive and self-contained, one-stop source discusses phase-field methodology in a fundamental way, explaining advanced numerical techniques for solving phase-field and related continuum-field models. It also presents numerical techniques used to simulate various phenomena in a detailed, step-by-step way, such that readers can carry out their own code developments. Features many examples of how the methods explained can be used in materials science and engineering applications.

This book presents several aspects of research on mathematics that have significant applications in engineering, modelling and social matters, discussing a number of current and future social issues and problems in which mathematical tools can be beneficial. Each chapter enhances our understanding of the research problems in a particular an area of study and highlights the latest advances made in that area. The self-contained contributions make the results and problems discussed accessible to readers, and provides references to enable those interested to follow subsequent studies in still developing fields. Presenting real-world applications, the book is a valuable resource for graduate students, researchers and educators. It appeals to general readers curious about the practical applications of mathematics in diverse scientific areas and social problems.

The book helps to answer the following questions: How far have the understanding and mesoscale modeling advanced in recent decades, what are the key open questions that require further research and what are the mathematical and physical requirements for a mesoscale model intended to provide either insight or a predictive engineering tool? It is addressed to young researchers including doctoral students, postdocs and early career faculty,

Multiscale materials modelling offers an integrated approach to modelling material behaviour across a range of scales from the electronic, atomic and microstructural up to the component level. As a result, it provides valuable new insights into complex structures and their properties, opening the way to develop new, multi-functional materials together with improved process and product designs. Multiscale materials modelling summarises some of the key techniques and their applications. The various chapters cover the spectrum of scales in modelling methodologies, including electronic structure calculations, mesoscale and continuum modelling. The book covers such themes as dislocation behaviour and plasticity as well as the modelling of structural materials such as metals, polymers and ceramics. With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, Multiscale materials modelling is a valuable reference for both the modelling community and those in industry wanting to know more about how multiscale materials modelling can help optimise product and process design. Reviews the principles and applications of mult-scale materials modelling Covers themes such as dislocation behaviour and plasticity and the modelling of structural materials Examines the spectrum of scales in modelling methodologies, including electronic structure calculations, mesoscale and continuum modelling

This book provides state-of-the-art computational approaches for accelerating materials discovery, synthesis, and processing using thermodynamics and kinetics. The authors deliver an overview of current practical computational tools for materials design in the field. They describe ways to integrate thermodynamics and kinetics and how the two can supplement each other.

This book highlights some recent advances in interfacial research in the fields of fluid mechanics and materials science at the beginning of the twenty-first century. It is an extension of the presentations made during the conference “Interfaces for the 21st Century,” held on August 16-18, 1999, in Monterey, California. It includes papers by sixteen renowned experts in the field of interfacial mechanics, abstracts contributed by research scientists, and a summary of a panel discussion on future research directions. The book covers experimental and theoretical approaches, with the unifying philosophy being the investigation of new techniques for modeling the dynamics of interfaces. A number of new and exciting solution methods and experimental studies, as well as the physical problems that initiated them, are presented.

This book describes a novel and popular method for the theoretical and computational study of phase transformations and materials processing in condensed and soft matter. The field theoretic method for the study of phase transformations in material systems, also known as the phase-field method, allows one to analyze different stages of transformations within a unified framework. It has received significant attention in the materials science community due to many recent successes in solving or illuminating important problems. In a single volume, this book addresses the fundamentals of the method starting from the basics of the field theoretic method along with its most important theoretical and computational results and some of the most advanced recent results and applications. Now in a revised and expanded second edition, the text is updated throughout and includes material on the classical theory of phase transformations. This book serves as both a primer in the area of phase transformations for those new to the field and as a guide for the more seasoned researcher. It is also of interest to historians of physics.