*Importance of Phase diagrams for engineers:

it relates to the design and control of heat treating procedures

some properties of materials are functions of their microstructures
useful in understanding the development and preservation of non-equilibrium structures and their
attendant properties
*Importance of Phase Diagrams:
strong correlation between microstructures and mechanical properties
provides valuable information about melting, casting, crystallization, and other phenomena
*Components are pure metals and/or compounds of which an alloy is composed
*Microstructure contains the properties of a material
*Phase boundaries separates the phases
*System a specific body of material under consideration
- the series of possible alloys consisting of the same components, but without regard to alloy
composition
*Solid Solution consists of atoms of at least 2 different types
*Solute atoms - occupy either substitutional or interstitial position in the solvent lattice, and the crystal
structure of the solvent is maintained.
*Solubility limit maximum concentration of solute atoms that may dissolve in the solvent to form a solid
solution
*Phase a homogeneous potion of a system that has uniform physical and chemical characteristics
*Homogeneous system a single-phase system
*Heterogeneous multiphase system two or more phase system or mixture
*Phase Equilibrium - constancy with time in the phase characteristics of a system; phase uniformity
*Free energy a function of the internal energy of a system
- randomness or disorder of the atoms or molecules (or entropy)
*Nonequilibrium or metastable state of equilibrium that is never completely achieved because the rate of
approach to equilibrium is extremely slow
*Phase Diagram / constitutional diagram phase structure of a particular alloy system is conveniently and
concisely displayed
*Equilibrium phase diagrams represent the relationship between temperature and composition and
quantities of phases at equilibrium
- a convenient and concise way of representing the most stable relationship between phases in alloy
systems
*Binary alloy contains two components
*Unary phase single chemical composition but different state; P vs. T
*Binary Isomorphous system T vs. Composition
*Isomorphous complete liquid and solid solubility of components
*Liquidus line separates L from +L
*Solidus line separates from +L
*Information obtained from phase diagram :
(1) phase present
(2) phase composition ( in wt% or at% )
(3) phase amount
*tie line line extend across two-phase region and terminate at the phase boundary lines on either side
*lever rule - used to determine the phase amounts or fractions of phases; measures distance between
compositions
*Binary Eutectic systems features: 3 single-phase regions, 3 2-phase regions

Single phase:
rich in Cu, solute Ag, FCC, pure Cu
- solid phase, FCC, Cu solute, pure Ag
L
2-Phase:
+
+ L
L+
solvus line divides and +
solidus line divides and +L
liquidus line - divides L and +L
*Invariant/Triple point
*Eutectic reaction means easily melted
*Terminal solid solutions have only two solid phases ( and ); exists near concentration extremities
*Intermediate solid solutions found at other thean the two composition extremes
*Intermetallic compounds metal-metal systems that distinct chemical formulas
*Eutectoid (eutecticlike) invariant point at solid-to-solid transformation
*Eutectoid isotherm the horizontal tie line where the eutectoid passes through
*Eutectic invariant point at liquid-to-solid transformation
*Peritectic reaction an invariant reaction involving three phases at equlibrium
*Classification of Phase Transformations
(1) Congruent transformations there are no compositional alterations
(2) Incongruent transformations at least one of the phases will experience a change in composition
*Equilibrium cooling diagram extremely cooling rate
*Non-equilibrium cooling non-uniform segragation
*2 types of ferrous alloy:
(1) Pure Fe - <0.008 wt% C
(2) Steel 0.008-2.14 wt% C (pref. 1 wt% C)
(3) Cast Iron 2.14-6.70 wt% C (pref. 4.5 wt% C)
*C in Fe forms an interstitial solid solution
*Iron-Iron Carbide System
ferrite, FCC austenite, BCC
+ Fe3C Pearlite
+ Fe3C
0-6.7 wt% C >> Fe-rich region

unstable form of ferrite

Fe3C cementite

+L

6.7-100 wt% C >> C-rich region

*Lamellae alternating layers

*Hypereutectoid alloy concentration of solute is greater than the eutectoid composition
*Hypoeutectoid alloy - concentration of solute is less than the eutectoid composition
*Proeutectoid forms before the eutectoid reaction
Proeutectoid cementite primary cementite that exists in addition to pearlite for hypereutectoid
steels

Proeutectoid ferrite - primary ferrite that exists in addition to pearlite for hypoeutectoid steels

NOTE: REACTIONS NOT INCLUDED!!!