Quantitative analysis of spatial distribution of nucleation sites: Microstructural implications

Various computational schemes for the determination of nucleation condition s from fully coalesced product microstructures are examined. In particular, a Variety of types of nucleation sites, including those on the edges and c orners of an underlying structure, are considered. The analysis is facilita ted by simulating idealized cases wherein the nucleation conditions are kno wn. In cases where only one type of site is active, the spatial distributio n of nucleation sites is quantified in terms of neighbor distributions and correlation functions. In cases of multiple types of site potency, maps rev ealing important microstructural behavior and trends are constructed. It is found that the dimensionality of the subspace of sites on which nucleation occurs can be described and thereby the unique signatures of bulk, edge an d corner nucleation in the calculated quantities can be identified. The res ults of the simulations allow possible nucleation conditions to be identifi ed which give rise to a given experimental microstructure. (C) 1999 Acta Me tallurgica Inc. Published by Elsevier Science Lid. All rights reserved.