Alexander Lobkovsky, Metallurgy Division
We present a phase field model of solidification which includes the
effects of the crystalline orientation in the solid phase. This model describes
grain boundaries as well as solid-liquid boundaries within a unified framework.
With an appropriate choice of coupling of the phase field variable to the
gradient of the crystalline orientation variable in the free energy, we
find that high angle boundaries undergo a premelting transition. As the
melting temperature is approached from below, low angle grain boundaries
remain narrow. The width of the liquid layer at high angle grain boundaries
diverges logarithmically.