Computer simulation of grain growth-IV. Anisotropic grain boundary energies

A Monte Carlo computer simulation technique has been developed which models grain growth for the case in which the grain boundary energy is anisotropic. The grain growth kinetics, as represented by the growth exponent n ( R ̄ = Ctⁿ), is found to decrease continuously from 0.42 ± 0.02 to 0.25 ± 0.02 as the anisotropy is increased, where 0.42 is the growth exponent in the isotropic case. The grain size distribution functions become broader as the anisotropy is increased. For large anisotropy, the microstructure is described as consisting of large grains with extended regions of small grains. The small grains tend to have low angle grain boundaries. Anisotropic grain boundary energies can result in preferred crystallographic orientation, however the orientational correlations are limited to a few times the mean grain radius when potentials yielding reasonable microstructures are utilized.