Semi-Empirical Kinetic Model for Phase Selection in Rapidly Solidified Multicomponent Concentrated Alloys

Abstract

A semi-empirical kinetic framework is formulated for predicting phase selection in multicomponent concentrated alloys under rapid solidification. The approach is based on the critical cooling rate required to suppress competing crystalline pathways and combines topology-dependent ranking of BCC-, FCC-, and HCP-like crystallization pathways with a correction for glass-forming ability. The formulation includes a topology-dependent viscosity correction with a smoothed BCC multiplier and a continuous correction factor for glass-forming ability based on mixing enthalpy, excess entropy, and atomic-size dispersion. Comparison with experimental and computational data shows that the kinetic criterion captures changes in the lattice type expected from the valence electron concentration criterion, describes kinetic suppression of phase separation, and identifies competitive multiphase crystallization. The model also distinguishes alloys with high and low glass-forming ability. The proposed framework provides a practical approach for preliminary evaluation of kinetic phase competition in rapidly solidified multicomponent melts.