PHASE DIAGRAMS

Illustrates the stable phase/s present in a system at a given condition (pressure, temperature and composition)

Provides a correlation between the microstructure of materials and its mechanical properties
Used in the design and control of heat treatment procedures, especially for metals

BASIC TERMS AND CONCEPTS

1. System specific body of material under consideration 2. Phase homogeneous portion of a system that has uniform
physical and chemical characteristics

3. Component pure substances or compounds of which a

system is composed

4. Solubility Limit maximum concentration of solute atoms

that may dissolve in the solvent to form a solid solution

Illustration of the Basic Concepts

1. 2. 3. 4.

System: SUGAR-WATER SYSTEM Phases: Liquid Solution Phase and Solid Sugar Phase Components: Water and Sugar Solubility Limit: Varies with T as indicated in the graph

One-Component or UNARY Phase Diagram

Simplest and easiest type of phase diagram Composition is held constant, diagram is that of a pure substance

Phase Boundaries at any

point on these curves, phases on either side of the curve coexist with one another

Triple/Invariant Point all

three phases of a substance (solid, liquid, gas) are simultaneously in equilibrium

Two-Component or Binary Phase Diagrams

Pressure is held constant, temperature and composition are variable Extremely common and applicable to binary alloys Types of Binary Phase Diagrams:

1.Binary Isomorphous System

2.Binary Eutectic System

Isomorphous System: COPPER-NICKEL SYSTEM

Liquid Phase Homogeneous liquid solution of Cu and Ni -Phase Substitutional solid solution of Cu and Ni Melting Temperatures:

TCu = 1085C TNi = 1453C

**Cu and Ni are completely soluble in the solid state due to the fact that both metals possess the same FCC crystal structure

Interpretation of Phase Diagrams

PHASES PRESENT Locate the temperature-composition point on the diagram and note the phases present, as labeled. COMPOSITIONS OF THE PHASES RELATIVE AMOUNTS OF PHASES PRESENT

Interpretation of Phase Diagrams PHASES PRESENT

COMPOSITIONS OF THE PHASES (in terms of component concentration)
For single phase regions, the composition of this phase is simply the same as the alloy composition For two-phase regions, 1. Construct a tie line at the given temperature 2. Note the intersection of the tie line and the phase boundaries 3. From these points of intersection, identify the composition of the phase by dropping a perpendicular line to the composition-axis RELATIVE AMOUNTS OF PHASES PRESENT

Interpretation of Phase Diagrams PHASES PRESENT

COMPOSITIONS OF THE PHASES

RELATIVE AMOUNTS OF PHASES PRESENT
For single phase regions, alloy is composed entirely of that phase
For two-phase regions, use the inverse lever rule as follows: 1. Construct a tie line at the given temperature 2. Measure the length of the entire lever, the given temperature-composition point being the fulcrum 3. Relative amount of one phase is determined by measuring the length of the lever arm opposite to its boundary divided by the length of the entire lever

Illustration

@ Point A:
Phase/s Present:

-Solid Solution
Composition of the Phase:

60%Ni-40%Cu
Relative Amount of the Phase:

100%

Illustration

@ Point B:
Phase/s Present:

-Solid Solution Liquid Phase

Composition of the Phases:

: 42.5%Ni-57.5%Cu L: 31.5%Ni-68.5%Cu

Illustration

@ Point B:
Relative Amount of the Phases:

WL = 68% L

W = 32%

Eutectic System: COPPER-SILVER SYSTEM

Important features of a Eutectic Binary Phase Diagram:

1. Three single-phase regions: , and Liquid

= solid solution of Cu with Ag as solute = solid solution of Ag with Cu as solute

2. Limited solubility in the solid phase 3. Three two-phase regions: +L, +L, + 4. Invariant or Eutectic point following the reaction: L=+

Iron-Iron Carbide Phase Diagram

Gibbs Phase Rule

Dictate the construction of Phase Diagrams Proposed by the 19th century physicist J. Willard Gibbs Represents a criterion for the number of phases that coexist within a system at equilibrium

P = number of phases present F = number of degrees of freedom or externally controlled variables

that can be changed independently without altering the number of phases that coexist at equilibrium C = number of components in a system N = number of non-compositional variables (eg., T and P)