Generalized phase-field model for computer simulation of grain growth in anisotropic systems

We study the dynamics and morphology of grain growth with anisotropic energy and mobility of grain boundaries using a generalized phase-field model. In contrast to previous studies, both inclination and misorientation of the boundaries are considered. The model is first validated against exact analytical solutions for the classical problem of an island grain embedded in an infinite matrix. We find that large mobility anisotropy and small grain boundary energy anisotropy both have comparable effects on grain shape. In a polycrystalline system with large mobility anisotropy, we find that the system evolves in a non-self-similar manner leading to grain shape anisotropy, although the average grain area grows linearly with time, as in an isotropic system.