Phase-Field Modeling of Microstructure Evolution in Nuclear Materials
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abstract
Irradiation is a unique driver for microstructure evolution in nuclear materials. It produces high concentrations of point defects and extended defects that trigger the formation of microstructural features such as voids, bubbles, precipitates and dislocations agglomerates. The evolution of such features significantly impacts the properties of materials, thus requiring careful modeling. The phase-field method has demonstrated its capability of simulating microstructure evolution in nuclear materials. Although the method does not yield as of yet quantitative results in various aspects of microstructure evolution, the community is working with the premise that the method will be a standard predictive tool in the future. The objective of this chapter is thus to present a concise summary of the status of development of the phase field approach for nuclear materials applications, with a special focus on the quantitative results obtained by following this approach. The strengths and limitations of the application of phase-field modeling of microstructure evolution in nuclear materials are discussed, and a summary of possible future research directions is presented.
