Heterogeneous nucleation and the growth of microstructures are often accompanied by elastic deformations which can significantly influence the thermodynamical properties and kinetics of these processes. Lattice mismatches, density differences or concentration gradients are primary origins for these effects, which lead to the appearance of new lengthscales and noticeable consequences for the material properties. Despite the obvious relevance of these phenomena, generally accepted theories which take into account the elastic long-range interactions in a consistent way are not yet available, especially under consideration of the atomic structures and ordering. In this project, we will investigate the influence of these new effects on the dynamical processes of heterogeneous nucleation and microstructure development. The general aim is to obtain generalizations of classical scaling relations by analytical and numerical methods, and to compare them to experimental results.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
