Computer simulation of the aggregation and sintering restructuring of fractal-like clusters containing limited numbers of primary particles

A random particle computer simulation (in three dimensions) was conducted to investigate the structure and aggregation characteristics of small clusters (containing limited numbers of primary particles per cluster). Though an individual cluster of small size does not satisfy the power law, it was found that these aggregated clusters are fractal-like and comply with the fractal power law form in a statistical sense. This statistically averaged fractal dimension decreases as the clusters become smaller. A cluster-restructuring model is further developed to simulate the topological evolution of dendritic structured materials due to sintering at high temperatures. Results indicate that the cluster fractal dimension increases as sintering proceeds for small clusters, in contrast to results for large clusters wherein the topology is retained and the fractal dimension remains constant. A relationship of the fractal dimension change with the normalized surface area of dendrites for different-sized clusters is established. (C) 1999 Academic Press.