A multi-physics model for dislocation driven spontaneous grain nucleation and microstructure evolution in polycrystals

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Main Authors: Tandogan, Izzet Tarik, Budnitzki, Michael, Sandfeld, Stefan
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Tandogan, Izzet Tarik
Budnitzki, Michael
Sandfeld, Stefan
author_facet Tandogan, Izzet Tarik
Budnitzki, Michael
Sandfeld, Stefan
contents The granular microstructure of metals evolves significantly during thermomechanical processing through viscoplastic deformation and recrystallization. Microstructural features such as grain boundaries (GBs), subgrains, localized deformation bands, and non-uniform dislocation distributions critically influence grain nucleation and growth during recrystallization. Traditionally, modeling this coupled evolution involves separate, specialized frameworks for mechanical deformation and microstructural kinetics, typically used in a staggered manner. Nucleation is often introduced ad hoc, with nuclei seeded at predefined sites based on criteria like critical dislocation density, stress or strain. This is a consequence of the inherent limitations of the staggered approach, where newly formed GBs or grains have to be incorporated with additional processing. In this work, we propose a unified, thermodynamically consistent field theory that enables spontaneous nucleation driven by stored dislocations at GBs. The model integrates Cosserat crystal plasticity with the Henry-Mellenthin-Plapp orientation phase field approach, allowing the simulation of key microstructural defects, as well as curvature- and stored energy-driven grain boundary migration. The unified approach enables seamless identification of GBs that emerge from deformation and nucleation. Nucleation is activated through a coupling function that links dislocation-related free energy contributions to the phase field. Dislocation recovery occurs both at newly formed nuclei and behind migrating GBs. The model's capabilities are demonstrated using periodic bicrystal and polycrystal simulations, where mechanisms such as strain-induced boundary migration, subgrain growth, and coalescence are captured. The proposed spontaneous nucleation mechanism offers a novel addition to the capabilities of phase field models for recrystallization simulation.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_08843
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A multi-physics model for dislocation driven spontaneous grain nucleation and microstructure evolution in polycrystals
Tandogan, Izzet Tarik
Budnitzki, Michael
Sandfeld, Stefan
Materials Science
Computational Physics
The granular microstructure of metals evolves significantly during thermomechanical processing through viscoplastic deformation and recrystallization. Microstructural features such as grain boundaries (GBs), subgrains, localized deformation bands, and non-uniform dislocation distributions critically influence grain nucleation and growth during recrystallization. Traditionally, modeling this coupled evolution involves separate, specialized frameworks for mechanical deformation and microstructural kinetics, typically used in a staggered manner. Nucleation is often introduced ad hoc, with nuclei seeded at predefined sites based on criteria like critical dislocation density, stress or strain. This is a consequence of the inherent limitations of the staggered approach, where newly formed GBs or grains have to be incorporated with additional processing. In this work, we propose a unified, thermodynamically consistent field theory that enables spontaneous nucleation driven by stored dislocations at GBs. The model integrates Cosserat crystal plasticity with the Henry-Mellenthin-Plapp orientation phase field approach, allowing the simulation of key microstructural defects, as well as curvature- and stored energy-driven grain boundary migration. The unified approach enables seamless identification of GBs that emerge from deformation and nucleation. Nucleation is activated through a coupling function that links dislocation-related free energy contributions to the phase field. Dislocation recovery occurs both at newly formed nuclei and behind migrating GBs. The model's capabilities are demonstrated using periodic bicrystal and polycrystal simulations, where mechanisms such as strain-induced boundary migration, subgrain growth, and coalescence are captured. The proposed spontaneous nucleation mechanism offers a novel addition to the capabilities of phase field models for recrystallization simulation.
title A multi-physics model for dislocation driven spontaneous grain nucleation and microstructure evolution in polycrystals
topic Materials Science
Computational Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.08843