Thermodynamic Modeling by the CALPHAD Method and its Applications to Innovative Materials

Among the different steps leading to a multi-scale lifetime prediction for aero-engine components and other industrial components, one seems to be apart from the other mechanical engineering concerns: thermodynamic and microstructural modeling. Here is given an introduction to the CALPHAD method [19, 27], explaining how it actually models the thermodynamic properties of multicomponent systems. Then, a number of applications are described, while emphasizing the relevance of using the CALPHAD method for the purpose of developing integrated engineering methods. Finally, the importance of building thermodynamic databases creates a high need for the development of ab initio calculations, as well as high-throughput experiments and, generally speaking, combinatorial materials science.