Three Dimensional Monte Carlo Simulation of Isotropic Coarsening of Particles in Liquid Phase

Abstract

Coarsening of particles during liquid phase sintering is known to be an example of Ostwald ripening. This coarsening process, in a fully wetting system, is simulated in three dimensions with a kinetic Monte Carlo model. The results from the simulation for microstructures, kinetics and particle size distributions are compared to available experimental findings. It is found that the average particle volume increases linearly with time and that the particle size distributions are consistent with those obtained experimentally, as in the W-Ni-Fe and Sn-Pb systems.