Crystal defects

Why defects? Properties are significantly affected by defects What happens when a small amount of copper is added to aluminum?

Crystal defects

Point defects Line defects Surface defects

Point defects

Substitutional atoms Interstitial atoms Vacancies

Point defects
Metal Crystal structure Atomic radius Melting point

Cu Zn

FCC HCP

0.128 nm 0.133 nm

1358 K 693 K

Point defects substitutional atoms

Melting point 1358 K

Melting point 693 K

Cu

Zn

Point defects substitutional atoms

Cu

Zn

Point defects substitutional atoms

Cu Zn

Point defects substitutional atoms

Now cooling

Point defects substitutional atoms

Result: single phase Cu-Zn alloy Where are the Zn atoms?

Point defects substitutional atoms

Copper is face centered cubic Cu atom radius is 0.128 nm Zn atom radius is 0.133 nm
Plane of atoms in Cu structure

Point defects substitutional atoms

Since Zn atoms are almost same size as Cu atoms, Zn atoms can substitute for Cu atoms:

Point defects substitutional atoms

Mistakes in the structure These defects are substitutional atoms Zn atoms distributed randomly throughout Cu structure

Point defects substitutional atoms

Since Zn atoms are not same size, some distortion of the structure Result is single phase solid material Single phase solid solution Substitutional solid solution

Definition of solid solution:

Single solid phase with more than one type of atom in structure randomly distributed on structure sites

Solid solutions
Are solid solutions common in materials? Yes!

Substitutional solid solutions

Rules for substitutional solid solution formation in metals: 1. If atom sizes are different by less than 15%, then solid solution may be extensive 2. If crystal structures of the two metals are same or similar, then solid solution may be extensive

Substitutional solid solutions

Rules for substitutional solid solution formation in metals: 3. Electrochemical factor: Intermetallic compounds may form when one element is electropositive and the other is electronegative no substitutional solid solution. 4. A metal has a tendency to dissolve another metal of higher valency

Substitutional solid solutions

Copper-Nickel system
Atomic radii Cryst St Electroneg Valencies

Cu Ni

0.128 nm 0.125 nm

FCC FCC

1.9 1.8

+1 +2

Copper and nickel are completely soluble in one another at all proportions

Point defects - interstitial atoms

If impurity or alloying atoms are very small, they will not substitute for solvent atoms Instead, they will fit into the interstices

Point defects - interstitial atoms

Result: Interstitial solid solution. C, H, O, N usually form interstitial solid solutions Steels contain interstitial solid solutions of carbon in iron

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Point defects - vacancies

Form during crystal growth, mechanical deformation, and other processing Important in diffusion - move during diffusion

Crystal defects
Vacancies are involved in movement of substitutional atoms

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Crystal defects
Vacancies are involved in movement of substitutional atoms

Crystal defects
Vacancies are involved in movement of substitutional atoms

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