Generation of initial microstructures for Monte Carlo Potts model Simulations of quasi-binary grain growth

The generation of initial microstructures for use in the investigation of grain growth in quasi-binary textured systems (i.e. one texture component plus an otherwise random texture) is described. For investigations of the effect of texture tightness the microstructural morphology (grain shapes/sizes) can be taken from electron back-scatter pattern orientation mapping data. The procedure consists of first aligning the data to an ideal orientation and then adjusting selectively those orientations belonging to the texture component of interest. For investigation of the effect of texture fraction and average grain size ratio, a method is described for constructing microstructures with different combinations of these parameters, by making use of a surface energy term in the Potts model Hamiltonian.