Predictors microstructure and microsegregation multicomponent alloys

Accurate predictions of microstructure and microsegregation in metallic alloys are highly important for applications such as process optimization and alloy development. This article gives an overview of the methods developed during the past 30 years for solidification simulation on a microscopic scale, with a special emphasis on multicomponent alloys. Analytical approaches as well as advanced numerical models coupled with greatly simplified phase diagrams and thermodynamically calculated phase diagrams have been critically reviewed. Factors that influence the predictions, such as solid-state diffusion, coarsening of dendrite arms, undercooling effects, and, most importantly, the accuracy of the phase diagram are discussed, and suggestions for further research are given.