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Lecture 2 Overview of Phase Transformations in Materials

1. A phase transformation refers to a change from an original phase to another phase and can involve changes in state of aggregation, crystal structure, composition, or electronic structure. 2. Types of phase transformations include solid-liquid, solid-gas, solid-solid, and transformations with or without a change in composition. 3. Phase transformations occur due to a driving force to reduce free energy and can take place through long-range diffusion, short-range diffusion, or fractional atomic movements.

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49 views

Lecture 2 Overview of Phase Transformations in Materials

1. A phase transformation refers to a change from an original phase to another phase and can involve changes in state of aggregation, crystal structure, composition, or electronic structure. 2. Types of phase transformations include solid-liquid, solid-gas, solid-solid, and transformations with or without a change in composition. 3. Phase transformations occur due to a driving force to reduce free energy and can take place through long-range diffusion, short-range diffusion, or fractional atomic movements.

Uploaded by

SAURABH KUMAR
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lecture 2: Introduction to Phase Transformations

18th January 2023


Dr Shantanu V. Madge
Associate Professor
Department of Materials Engineering
IIT Jammu
[email protected]
Definition of phases

Recap:

• A phase is a part of a system that is physically distinct,


chemically homogeneous and mechanically separable.
• States of aggregation: solid, liquid and vapour.
• Phases can be distinguished based on their states of
aggregation or differences in their compositions or crystal
structures.

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Phase changes/transitions/transformations

• A phase transformation refers to the change from the original


(parent) phase to other (product) phases.
• A phase transformation must involve changes in some of these
• The state of aggregation
• Crystal structure
• Composition
• Electronic structure

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Types of Phase Transformations

Some examples
Liquid Liquid Gas
Solid-Liquid Deposition
Casting/Solidification Melting Solidification
Additive Manufacturing Sublimation

Solid
Solid-Gas
Vapour Deposition Many!

Solid-solid Solid
Heat treatment!

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What drives phase transformations?
Free energy reduction

What are the types of stability?

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Why do phase transformations occur at all?

Single
component
system.

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What about multi-component systems?

8
Binary system

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An application: amorphous phase formation through mechanical alloying

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What do phase diagrams tell us (or not!) ?

• The microstructure we get is


decided by the phase
transformations that occur on
processing materials in particular
ways.
• Phase diagrams show us a map
of phases as a function of
temperature and composition –
but they do not tell us the rate at
which phases transform to one
another.
• But, a wide range of material
properties depend on the
microstructure of materials,
which is dependent upon the
rate at which transformations
occur.

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Kinds of atomic movements

In phase transformations, movements can happen over


• Long-range: Typically atoms move (diffuse) over large interatomic distances,
causing a change in composition (say and β phases form, having very different
compositions).
• Short-range: Involving movement over one or two interatomic distances, e.g.
wherein atoms are transferred across the interface of two phases (say allotropic
transformations in pure metals).
• Fractional interatomic distances: All atoms move through fractional interatomic
spacings, in a coordinated fashion. So-called military transformations or diffusionless
transformations, unlike the “civilian” random walk atomic motion typical of diffusive
transformations.

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The types of phase transformations

No compositional change,
only crystal structure change.

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The types of phase transformations (contd.)

• Transformations with a change in


composition as well as crystal
structure.

• An example of continuous precipitation,


since the original phase is retained,
albeit with less solute.

𝒔𝒂𝒕

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The types of phase transformations (contd.)

• Transformations with a
change in composition as
well as crystal structure.
• Discontinuous
transformation – parent
phase is not retained.

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The types of phase transformations (contd.)

Diffusionless transformation
Quench
• FCC Austenite BCT Martensite

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Order-disorder transformations
• An example of a transformation involving short-range diffusion.
• The ordered β’ phase in Cu-49%Zn alloys transforms to disordered β at a temp. above 460 oC.

Ordered Brass Disordered Brass


(Cu-Zn alloy) (Cu-Zn alloy)

A simple 50/50 chance of


cubic finding a Cu or Zn
structure atom on a lattice point.
NOT BCC! Structure can be
called BCC.

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How do phase transformations occur - homogeneously versus heterogeneously

Initial microstructure Final microstructure

Single phase ’ β

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Heterogeneous Transformations:
Nucleation and Growth

β phase particles of the final


composition form (nucleate) in
the matrix.

Very different compositions of


the two phases.

More and more β phase


particles nucleate and grow
such that finally the equilibrium
mixture of ’+β is formed.
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Homogeneous Transformations: Spinodal Decomposition
Basic research in phase transformations

Mg65Ni20Nd15 metallic
Mg glass Nd
Ni map
• Phase-separated – two
amorphous phases on
cooling to room
temperature.
• Ni atoms segregated at
boundaries.
• On heating or holding at
RT, homogenization seen.
• Small size (1.28 A)
compared to Mg (1.6 A) 100 nm
and Nd (1.8 A).
100 nm
• Fast diffusion even at RT.
• Possibly a new type of
miscibility gap in metallic
systems!
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So, why to study phase transformations?

• A wide range of material properties depend on the microstructure of materials.


• The microstructure we get is decided by the phase transformations that occur
on processing materials in particular ways.
• Thus it is a way of controlling microstructure-properties in materials.
• Also of intrinsic scientific interest!

• And yes, many industrial processes (jobs!) do require an appreciation of these


basics!

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