Three-dimensional simulation of grain growth in a thermal gradient with non-uniform grain boundary mobility

While grain growth studies often presume uniform grain boundary mobility, in many real systems, grain boundary mobility is not uniform, and can in fact vary with temperature, crystallographic misorientation and other variables. A Monte Carlo Potts model has been used to simulate three-dimensional curvature-driven grain growth in systems with and without a non-uniform grain boundary mobility that simulates a thermal gradient. Grain evolution in these systems confirms that grain growth kinetics and grain size distributions are locally normal. Published by Elsevier Ltd. on behalf of Acta Materialia Inc.