River of Phase Diagram, Diffusion, and Materials Properties

The CALPHAD approach and the diffusion-multiple approach of Dr. JC Zhao resemble one gurgling river flowing its splendid course: they began with phase diagrams, then expanded to diffusivities, and finally, engulfed a sea of material properties. Dr. Zhao's methodical investigation of numerous alloy systems has substantially contributed to our development of the CALPHAD thermodynamic, kinetic, and property databases which are essential for predicting phase diagrams, phase transformations, and phase properties for multicomponent materials. In this talk, we look at how the two approaches have evolved and concentrate on what we are doing at Thermo-Calc Software to model different material properties of multicomponent solution phases and to provide pertinent databases for materials design and process optimization.