Effect of dislocations on spinodal decomposition in Fe–Cr alloys

Phase-field simulations of spinodal decomposition in Fe–Cr alloys with dislocations were performed by using the Cahn–Hilliard diffusion equation. The stress field of dislocations was calculated in real space via Stroh’s formalism, while the composition inhomogeneity-induced stress field and the diffusion equation were numerically calculated in Fourier space. The simulation results indicate that dislocation stress field facilitates, energetically and kinetically, spinodal decomposition, making the phase separation faster and the separated phase particles bigger at and near the dislocation core regions. A tilt grain boundary is thus a favorable place for spinodal decomposition, resulting in a special microstructure morphology, especially at the early stage of decomposition.