Three-dimensional simulation of coarsening and grain growth in sintering

The interparticle mass transport causes the larger particles to grow at the expense of the smaller particles in the process of sintering. Coarsening during sintering results from surface motion, while grain growth results from grain boundary motion. The three-dimensional simulation was performed to study coarsening and grain growth during sintering by using the Surface Evolver program. The coarsening and grain growth were affected by the ratio of grain boundary energy to surface energy, the ratio of grain boundary mobility to surface mobility, the size of a particle, and its coordination number.