
Multiscale Modelling of Metametals with Site-Specific Composition
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The use of additive manufacturing in shaping metals has given rise to the advent of the metametal, which is a single alloy part with macroscopic zones containing different microstructures/ morphology [1]. When these macroscopic zones (i.e. macrophases) are arranged judiciously around stress-concentrators, the parts can exhibit significantly improved toughness [2]. However, the simulations of metametals can be challenging due to the multiscale structures, which would consume excessive computational time and power if the micro- and macro- phases are modelled directly. To overcome this problem, we adopted a hierarchical approach where the properties of different microstructures were first mapped based on the proportions of their constituent microphases. Applying these properties to the respective microstructures in different spatial zones of the part then allows the global properties of the part to be simulated and predicted. To experimentally validate these simulations, we employed binder jetting to deposit different amounts of carbon at different locations in low alloy steel to generate a metametal with heterogeneous microstructures. The stress-strain response of these metametals were then experimentally characterized and found to agree well with the predictions obtained through our multiscale simulations [3].