A Kinetic Model of Precipitate Evolution

Chemical reaction rate theory is used to model the kinetics of precipitation reactions in Al alloys, including the effects of continuous cooling and thermally generated point defects. The computational method models the processes of nucleation, growth, and coarsening within a single framework. Calculated time and temperature dependent precipitate number densities and sizes during the homogeneous precipitation of the Al{sub 3}Sc phase in an Al-.11 at% Sc alloy are shown to compare favorably with experimental observations.