Phase-field simulation of sintering and related phenomena – A vacancy diffusion approach

A phase-field model of sintering and related phenomena in a two-phase system and in a multi-phase system is presented. We consider diffusion of vacancies as the atomic mechanism for redistribution of material and we will use the familiar model of thermal vacancies in a crystal as our energy formulation. The solid material will thus be characterized by a low vacancy content and the surroundings by a very high vacancy content and a very low content of atoms. The surface of the solid body will be characterized by a continuous variation in vacancy content. The temporal development of particles during solid state sintering with effects such as wetting is shown in various simulations.