A theoretical interpretation of self-similar right-skewed particle size distributions in Ostwald ripening of cementite in ferrite

摘要

A multi-particle approach of Ostwald ripening in two-phase systems based on direct interactions is developed which successfully explains the stationary right-skewed shape of the particle size distribution found in coarsening experiments of cementite in ferrite at a volume fraction of about 0.07. To reproduce such an evidence the mean field hypothesis of the classical LSW theory has been replaced by a topological framework where any particle exchanges solutes with all its neighbours within an interaction volume proportional to its size. Then, an effective diffusion distance depending on the current average size in the system and on volume fraction of the second phase has been introduced.