Two-dimensional Cahn-Hilliard simulations for coarsening kinetics of spinodal decomposition in binary mixtures

Koenig B, Ronsin OJJ, Harting J (2021)


Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

DOI: 10.1039/d1cp03229a

Abstract

The evolution of the microstructure due to spinodal decomposition in phase separated mixtures has a strong impact on the final material properties. In the late stage of coarsening, the system is characterized by the growth of a single characteristic length scale L similar to Ct(alpha). To understand the structure-property relationship, the knowledge of the coarsening exponent alpha and the coarsening rate constant C is mandatory. Since the existing literature is not entirely consistent, we perform phase field simulations based on the Cahn-Hilliard equation. We restrict ourselves to binary mixtures using a symmetric Flory-Huggins free energy and a constant composition-independent mobility term and show that the coarsening for off-critical mixtures is slower than the expected t(1/3)-growth. Instead, we find alpha to be dependent on the mixture composition and associate this with the observed morphologies. Finally, we propose a model to describe the complete coarsening kinetics including the rate constant C.

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APA:

Koenig, B., Ronsin, O.J.J., & Harting, J. (2021). Two-dimensional Cahn-Hilliard simulations for coarsening kinetics of spinodal decomposition in binary mixtures. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. https://doi.org/10.1039/d1cp03229a

MLA:

Koenig, Bjoern, Olivier J. J. Ronsin, and Jens Harting. "Two-dimensional Cahn-Hilliard simulations for coarsening kinetics of spinodal decomposition in binary mixtures." Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics (2021).

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