Phase-field modeling of elastically driven abnormal grain growth

Abstract

Grain-refined metals typically exhibit high strength, yet their engineering applications are often constrained by grain coarsening under thermo-mechanical loading. Recent experiments have revealed abnormal grain growth (AGG) in ultrafine-grained Ni thin films subjected to cyclic loading at room temperature. Unlike conventional AGG, which generally requires significant plastic deformation or high temperatures, this phenomenon occurs within the regime of macroscopic elastic deformation. This AGG is characterized by the preferential growth of grains with an in-plane <100> orientation aligned with the loading direction. Here, we investigate the underlying physical mechanisms by combining phase-field simulations with micromechanical analysis. The results indicate that elastic energy reduction provides a thermodynamically plausible driving force for this orientation-selective grain growth. Phase-field simulations reveal the evolution kinetics of AGG and confirm that local grain geometry and stress states play critical roles in determining the grain growth pathway. By applying this framework to systems with varying elastic anisotropy, we establish a general approach for investigating elastically driven AGG in polycrystalline materials.