Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
Multiparticle diffusion equations were modeled to simulate the dynamics of phase coarsening. Local environmental information and particle interactions within the microstructure are included in our simulations. These studies reveal that the growth rates of particles with the same radii can differ, and that particles with the average radius can grow, shrink, or remain conditionally stable. These results are in contrast to mean-field predictions, where particle growth rates are strictly deterministic. Multiparticle simulations prove that fluctuations occur in the particle growth rates, even at extremely low microstructural densities. Multiplicative noise provides a good basis to describe microstructural fluctuations.