Unveiling the thermodynamic landscape of liquid Ti–Al–Ni alloys through first-principles simulations

Abstract

We conducted ab initio molecular dynamics simulations to systematically examine the composition-dependent thermodynamic properties and atomic-scale interactions in liquid Ti–Al–Ni alloys throughout the entire ternary phase space at 2033 K. The calculated enthalpies of mixing demonstrated exothermic tendencies, with a distinct minimum in the composition of Ti_0.0Al_0.50Ni_0.50, indicating significant Al–Ni attractive interactions. Incorporating ternary interaction parameters into the Redlich-Kister-Muggianu equation enabled accurate modeling of the complex variations in mixing enthalpy. Analysis of partial pair correlation functions and structure factors revealed chemical and topological short-range ordering (SRO), as well as medium-range ordering, within the liquid alloy. Quantifying deviations from ideal configurational entropy clarifies the coupling between chemical SRO and topological SRO, significantly impacting the overall Gibbs energy of mixing. This comprehensive atomistic study provides insights into the thermodynamics of Ti–Al–Ni alloys, paving the way for tailoring their properties for high-performance applications.