Effects of phase fraction on phase morphology and triple junction configuration in anisotropic systems

It has been demonstrated that Herring’s anisotropic triple-junction equilibrium conditions do not predict a unique triple-junction configuration for junctions involving at least one anisotropic interface. In this paper, we minimize the total interfacial energy of a model two-dimensional anisotropic system to predict the preferred triple-junction configuration(s). Both the relative values of the interfacial energies and the phase fractions affect the energetics. Maps of the energetically preferred configuration(s) spanning a wide range of phase fraction and relative interfacial energies are presented. Parallel trends and key differences between the behaviors of the model anisotropic system and a (similarly configured) isotropic system are detailed. Lastly, we show how the approach used to predict equilibrium configurations (based on assumed interfacial energies) can be reversed to obtain relative interfacial energies for experimental systems where equilibrium has been reached but only geometrical parameters can be measured.