Microscopic computer simulations of directional coarsening in face-centered cubic alloys

We carried out Monte Carlo simulations of phase separation in a three-dimen sional binary alloy with misfitting phases subjected to uniaxial external s tress. A lattice of cylindrical or plate-like precipitates is formed at the mesoscale, as observed in real alloys. The rate of precipitate growth is m uch slower than the conventional R(t)similar tot(1/3) behavior in systems w ith no elastic misfit. Once a well-defined precipitate microstructure is fo rmed, the reversal of external applied load has only a small effect. (C) 20 01 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reser ved.