Modelling
Microstructure Evolution during Casting, Homogenization,Ageing and Annealing of Aluminium Alloys
Qiang Du*
SINTEF Industry, Oslo, Norway
ABSTRACT: Modeling
microstructural evolution occupies the central position in an Integrated
Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) framework. In this talk we report
our recent research activities on modelling microstructure evolution of
aluminium alloys with one single numerically efficient approach. The approach,
in the category of Frequency Distribution Function (FDF) method and called by
Kampmann Wagner Numerical method, is built on computational thermodynamics,
Fokker-Planck equation and the adaptive Runge-Kutta Integration technique. It
has been applied to four chain fabrication steps of aluminium alloys, and is
able to predict as-cast grain size, the transformation of secondary phases and
the precipitation of dispersoids during homogenization heat treatment, grain
growth during annealing, and the precipitation of hardening particles during
ageing. The model predictions are compared with experimental measurement and
simulation results from other approaches. We demonstrate the generalized KWN
method is versatile and valuable for ICME-guided Al alloys discovery and
processing parameters optimization.
Keywords：ICME, Frequency Distribution Function Method, solidification,
precipitation, grain growth
Qiang Du received his doctorate degree in materials science and engineering from Institute of Metals Research of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2001 and bachelor's degree from Beijing Institute of Technology in 1996. He is a Research Scientist at SINTEF Norway since 2011. He has taken the leading role in SINTEF on the research along Integrated Computational Materials Engineering. He has received multi-million Euro research grants from Norwegian Research Council, Hydro Aluminum and Alcoa for the development of modelling-aided alloys design, meso-scale microstructure model and software development. He was the developer of the commercial solidification microstructure modeling software PROCAST-PFT, and has been leading the development of the industry-recognized aluminum microstructure modeling software PreciMS and Alstruc. Du is also an adjunct professor of University of British Columbia, University of Science and Technology Beijing, and Ph.D co-supervisor of Norwegian University of Science and Technology.