Cellular automaton modeling of peritectic transformation⋆.

A two-dimensional multiphase cellular automaton (CA) model is proposed for the prediction of growth kinetics and microstructural evolution during peritectic transformation of Fe-C alloys. The proposed model is validated by comparing the simulation results with the experimental measurements and analytical predictions for the growth kinetics of the γ -phase and the concentration distributions. The simulated time evolution of the γ -phase thickness and the concentration distribution in the γ -phase agree well with the experimental data, demonstrating the quantitative capabilities of the proposed model. The influences of the holding temperature and γ -phase thickness on the γ -phase growth behavior are analyzed based on the simulation results. The γ -phase growth velocity is found to decrease with increasing the γ -phase thickness and holding temperature. Simulations are also performed for the microstructural evolution during isothermal peritectic transformation of Fe-C alloys with the primary δ -phase being an equiaxed dendrite under different holding temperatures. It is found that the driving force for γ -phase growth increases with decreasing temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]