Development of an algorithm for identifying active clusters in the microstructural design of materials

Abstract

Design of material microstructure in order to propose desired properties is an interesting issue in material engineering. Various properties of the constructed microstructure are strongly affected by the geometrical arrangement of the constituent phases especially the connectivity of the phases across the microstructure. In this research an efficient algorithm is presented to determine the number of interconnected region, named cluster, of a phase and the connectivity of the clusters throughout the virtually constructed microstructure. The proposed algorithm can be used in evaluation and optimization of microstructure phase arrangement in order to obtain optimum properties such thermal and electrical conductivity, stiffness, diffusion and more.