A three-dimensional computer study of gravity induced skeletal structure evolution during liquid phase sintering

In this paper we will investigate numerically gravity induced skeletal structure evolution during liquid phase sintering. Applying three-dimensional domain methodology, solid skeleton evolution will be introduced by the definition of skeleton units determined by the equilibrium dihedral angle and the formation of large solid skeletons arranged in a long chain of connected solid phase domains. The settling procedure will be simulated by using two general submodels: for free settling, in which solid phase domains fall under gravity over domains that have already settled, and for extended settling, in which settled domains continue their motion until they reach a position of local equilibrium. The same submodels will be applied for free settling and extended settling of solid skeletons. It will be assumed that under gravity conditions, Stokes's law settling usually dominates microstructure formation, where the settling procedure will be simulated by computation of the settling time and average migration distance during a defined time interval. Thus gravity induced skeleton structure evolution will be simulated by simultaneous computation of the displacement of the center of mass.