Three dimensional simulation of microstructure evolution for ceramic tool materials

The observation and scientific quantitative characterization of three dimensional microstructure evolution during sintering process of ceramic tool materials is important to investigate the influence of nano-particles on mechanical properties. The relationship between microstructure and mechanical properties of ceramic tool materials can be established to direct the development of nano-composite ceramic tool materials by the research of the grain growth, grain boundary migration, distribution of nano-particles and microstructure densification at the different sintering temperature and pressure. In this paper, a 3D Monte Carlo model of three-phase nano-composite ceramic tool material is built and applied to simulate the microstructure evolution during sintering process. In this model, the grain boundary energy of each phase and interfacial energy between two phases are taken into consideration as the driving forces for grain growth. The sintering temperature and pressure are successfully coupled into the Monte Carlo simulation model. The microstructure evolution of defect free three-phase nano-composite ceramic tool materials is successfully simulated at different sintering temperature and pressure. The simulation results show that the higher the sintering temperature is, the faster the grain growth. However, the sintering pressure has little effect on the grain growth.