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A method for recovering the size distribution of spherical particles from small angle scattering data by using a Monte Carlo interference function fitting algorithm is presented. The method is based on the direct simulation of the small angle scattering data upon the assumption of non‐interacting hard sphere ensembles (“dilute” solution approximation). The algorithm for retrieving the particle size distribution does not require any additional parameters apart from the input of the scattering data. The fitting strategy necessarily implies positive particle size distributions, while preserving the advantage of the indirect transformation method for data desmearing. Furthermore, the present approach does not use any regularisation procedures of the best fit solution and favours smooth particle size distributions. The Monte Carlo procedure has been tested against several simulated cases with various types of mono‐ and bi‐modal size distributions and different noise levels. In the special case of non‐interacting spheres, the Monte Carlo fitting algorithm had the same retrieving ability as the well assessed indirect transformation, structure interference and maximum entropy methods. Finally, the algorithm was applied to retrieve the distribution of spherical nanopowders produced by gas‐to‐particle conversion both as free powder and as reinforcing second‐phase agent in polymer nanocomposites.

Manufacturing of ferritic stainless steels flat bars is an important industrial topic and the steel 1.4512 is one of the most commonly used grades for producing this component. In this paper, the origin of some edge defects occurring during hot rolling of flat bars of this grade is analyzed and thermomechanical and microstructural calculations have been carried out to enhance the quality of the finished products by reducing the jagged borders defect on hot rolled bars. An accurate investigation has been carried out by analyzing the defects on the final product from both the macroscopic and microstructural point of view through the implementation of thermomechanical and metallurgical models in a finite element (FE) MSC Marc commercial code. Coupled metallurgical and damage models have been implemented to investigate the microstructural evolution of ferritic grain size and material damaging. Three levels of prior ferritic grain size (PFGS) and three furnace discharge temperatures have been considered in the thermo-mechanical simulations of the roughing passes. Rheological laws for modeling the evolution of ferritic grain have been modified to describe the specific cases simulated. Results have shown that the defect is caused by processing conditions that trigger an anomalous heating which, in turn, induces an uncontrolled grain growth on the edges. The work-hardened and elongated grains do not recrystallize during hot deformation. Consequently, they tend to squeeze out the surrounding softer and recrystallized matrix towards the edges of the bar where the fractures that characterizes the surface defect occur.