| Seminários de Biomatemática

16 de Junho 2009, 16h00

Pattern dynamics in eutectic solidification
Complexo Interdisciplinar, Sala B3-01

Andrea Parisi (CIUL)

Abstract:

Eutectic alloys are widely used in the metallurgical industry and have been studied for years from metallurgists. When solidified directionally they form patterns of two distinct solid phases organized spatially as lamellar or rod arrays, which influence the mechanical properties of the final solidified samples. Thus, predicting what kind of structures arise depending on solidifying conditions has been a relevant quest for industry. It is only in recent years that physicists have been more deeply involved thanks to the discovery of transparent organic eutectic alloys which allow to observe the dynamical evolution of the solidification patterns in real time. Additionally, the development of performant quantitative simulation methods based on the phase field approach has provided the numerical tools for a deep investigation of the issues involved in these processes. From the point of view of pattern forming systems, the observed patterns are similar to those of other pattern forming systems such as reaction diffusion, however there are a few distinct features which seem to be specific of this particular system. I will review the basis of eutectic solidification as well as the phase field method for simulations, and illustrate the major results and insights obtained so far.

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