A micromechanistic model of microstructure development during the combustion synthesis process

The influence of the key nucleation and grain growth parameters on (i) the evolution of the microstructure of the product phase (on a microscopic level) and (ii) the combustion synthesis process (on a macroscopic level) were investigated for the combustion synthesis process in the Nb-C system. This work is an integral part of the continuing effort^1–3 to develop a more complete theoretical model for combustion synthesis processes in general. In particular, the nucleation and growth of the NbC(s) product phase from the supersaturated liquid Nb/C mixture that appears briefly during the combustion synthesis process was treated in a greater detail by using a decidedly more sophisticated treatment of the nucleation and growth process (as developed in the field of rapid solidification and welding). It was shown that the microstructure of the NbC(s) product phase, including the evolution of the grain size and the size distribution, and the development of the grain's morphology, as well as the combustion wave velocity, are significantly influenced by the total number density of the nucleation sites, n_max, that are present in the system. The grain size distribution was shown to possess a monosize distribution, since during the combustion synthesis process the rate of increase of the degree of local undercooling was very high so that the nucleation process took place (locally) during a very brief period of time. This work provides a sound basis for developing a better control of the microstructure, and for a better understanding and interpretation of the results of related experimental studies.