Solidification Morphology and Bifurcation Predictions with the Maximum Entropy Production Rate Model

Abstract

The use of the principle of maximum entropy generation per unit volume is a new approach in materials science that has implications for understanding the morphological evolution during solid–liquid interface growth, including bifurcations with or without di useness. A review based on a pre-publication arXiv preprint is first presented. A detailed comparison with experimental observations indicates that the Maximum Entropy Production Rate-density model (MEPR) can correctly predict bifurcations for dilute alloys during solidification. The model predicts a critical di useness of the interface at which a plane-front or any other form of di use interface will become unstable. A further confidence test for the model is o ered in this article by comparing the predicted liquid di usion coe cients to those obtained experimentally. A comparison of the experimentally determined solute di usion constant in dilute binary Pb–Sn alloys with those predicted by the various solidification instability models (1953–2011) is additionally discussed. A good predictability is noted for the MEPR model when the interface di useness is small. In comparison, the more traditional interface break-down models have low predictiveness.