Applications of computational thermodynamics — the extension from phase equilibrium to phase transformations and other properties

Complex equilibria and phase transformations involving diffusion can now be calculated quickly and efficiently. Detailed examples are given for cases which involve varying degrees of non-equilibrium and therefore time-dependence. Despite very good agreement between such calculations and experimental results, many potential end-users are still not convinced that such techniques could be usefully applied to their own specific problems. Friendly graphic interface versions of calculating software are now generally available, so the authors conclude that the most likely source of the reluctance to use such tools lies in the formulation of relevant questions and the interpretation of the results. Although the potential impact of such tools was foreseen many years ago [M. Hillert, Calculation of phase equilibria, in: Conference on Phase Transformations, 1968], few changes in the relevant teaching curricula have taken into account the availability and power of such techniques.