Diffusion controlled grain growth in primary crystallization: Avrami exponents revisited

The anomalous behaviour of the Avrami exponents found in the primary crystallization of amorphous alloys leading to nanostructured materials is considered. A kinetic model able to adequately treat such phase transformation has been formulated by means of the implementation of a soft-impingement diffusion mechanism after a transient interface controlled growth. A decrease in the nucleation rate as crystallization proceeds has also been considered. Comparison of the model with experimental data is performed, giving excellent agreement. The soft-impingement diffusion mechanism is demonstrated to be responsible for the anomalous behaviour of the Avrami exponent, the decreasing nucleation rate being a second-order effect.