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Diffusion in Solids - Part 1

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Diffusion in Solids - Part 1

Uploaded by

razonclarence4
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Diffusion in Solids

Intended Learning Outcomes

1. Name and describe the two atomic mechanisms of diffusion.


2. Distinguish between steady-state and non-steady state diffusion.
3. (a) Write Fick’s first and second laws in equation form and define all
parameters.
(b) Note the kind of diffusion for which each of these equations is
normally applied.
4. Write the solution to Fick’s second law for diffusion into a semi-infinite
solid when the concentration of diffusing species at the surface is held
constant. Define all parameters in this equation.
5. Calculate the diffusion coefficient for a material at a specified
temperature, given the appropriate diffusion constants.
Fundamental Concepts

Diffusion - Mass transport by atomic motion.

Interdiffusion/ Impurity Diffusion - The process by which atoms of one metal diffuse
into another. Atoms tend to migrate from regions of high concentration to regions of
low concentration

Self- Diffusion – The process by which all atoms exchanging positions are of the same
type.
Benefits of Diffusion

▪ Diffusion is a process that aids in the movement of molecules into and out
of cells. The molecules travel from a high-concentration zone to a low-
concentration region until the concentration is uniform throughout.
▪ It is an important phenomenon that occurs in a variety of biological
activities like the net movement of particles, ions, molecules, solutions,
and so on.
▪ It is a crucial factor in the movement of molecules during the metabolic
process in all living organisms.
Factor Affecting Diffusion

▪ Temperature
▪ Area of Interaction
▪ Size of the Particle
▪ The difference in concentration
Diffusion Mechanism

1. there must be an empty adjacent site


2. the atom must have sufficient energy to break bonds with its neighbor
atoms and then cause some lattice distortion during the displacement.
This energy is vibrational in nature.

For gases and liquids – Random (Brownian) motion


The random, uncontrolled movement of particles in a fluid as they constantly collide with other molecules
Vacancy Diffusion

▪ involves the interchange of an atom from a normal lattice position to an


adjacent vacant lattice site or vacancy
▪ applies to substitutional impurities atoms
▪ rate depends on number of vacancies and activation energy to exchange.
Interstitial diffusion

▪ involves atoms that migrate


from an interstitial position
to a neighboring one that is
empty.
▪ Host or substitutional
impurity atoms rarely form
interstitials and do not
normally diffuse via this
mechanism.
▪ More rapid than vacancy
diffusion
Processing using Diffusion

Case Hardening
▪ Diffuse carbon atoms into
the host iron atoms at the
surface
▪ Example of interstitial
diffusion in a case hardened
gear
Processing using Diffusion

Doping Silicon with Phosphorus for semiconductors


Fick’s First Law

▪ states that substances will diffuse from


areas of high concentration to lower
concentration.
▪ The law also guarantees that a system
will reach a steady state, where the
concentrations, or particles per unit
volume of the substances, will be the
same throughout, given enough time.
Fick’s First Law

kg/ m2-s or atoms/m2-s)


Fick’s First Law

▪ Steady-State Diffusion - the mass of


diffusing species entering the plate on the
high-pressure side is equal to the mass
exiting from the low-pressure surface—such
that there is no net accumulation of
diffusing species in the plate.
Fick’s First Law

Concentration gradient - the slope of the


concentration profile curve at some specific
▪ The constant of proportionality D is called
the diffusion coefficient, which is expressed
in square meters per second.
▪ The negative sign in this expression
indicates that the direction of diffusion is
down the concentration gradient, from a
high to a low concentration.
Diffusion Flux Computation

A plate of iron is exposed to a carburizing (carbon-rich) atmosphere on one side and a decarburizing
(carbon-deficient) atmosphere on the other side at 700oC (1300oF). If a condition of steady state is
achieved, calculate the diffusion flux of carbon through the plate if the concentrations of carbon at
positions of 5 and 10 mm (5 x 10-3 and 10-2 m) beneath the carburizing surface are 1.2 and 0.8 kg/m3,
respectively. Assume a diffusion coefficient of 3 x 10-11 m2/s at this temperature.

𝑘𝑔
𝑚 2 (1.2−0.8)𝑚3
J= −(3𝑥 10 −11 )
𝑠 5 x 10−3 −10−2 𝑚

=2.4 x 10-9 kg/m2.s


FICK’S SECOND LAW—NONSTEADY-STATE DIFFUSION

Fick's 2nd law of diffusion describes the rate of


accumulation (or depletion) of concentration
within the volume as proportional to the local
curvature of the concentration gradient.
FICK’S SECOND LAW—NONSTEADY-STATE DIFFUSION

1. Before diffusion, any of the diffusing


solute atoms in the solid are uniformly
distributed with concentration of C0.
2. The value of x at the surface is zero and
increases with distance into the solid.
3. The time is taken to be zero the instant
before the diffusion process begins.
These conditions are simply stated as
follows:
FICK’S SECOND LAW—NONSTEADY-STATE DIFFUSION
NONSTEADY-STATE DIFFUSION TIME COMPUTATION

For some applications, it is necessary to harden the surface of a steel (or iron–
carbon alloy) above that of its interior. One way this may be accomplished is by
increasing the surface concentration of carbon in a process termed carburizing;
the steel piece is exposed, at an elevated temperature, to an atmosphere rich in
a hydrocarbon gas, such as methane (CH4). Consider one such alloy that
initially has a uniform carbon concentration of 0.25 wt% and is to be treated at
950oC (1750oF). If the concentration of carbon at the surface is suddenly
brought to and maintained at 1.20 wt%, how long will it take to achieve a
carbon content of 0.80 wt% at a position 0.5 mm below the surface? The
diffusion coefficient for carbon in iron at this temperature is 1.6.x 10-11 m2/s;
assume that the steel piece is semi-infinite.
NONSTEADY-STATE DIFFUSION TIME COMPUTATION

Solution
Because this is a nonsteady-state diffusion problem in which the surface composition is held constant, Equation
below is used. Values for all the parameters in this expression except time t are specified in the problem as
follows:

𝐶0=0.25 𝑤𝑡 % 𝐶 Z= 0.3924
𝐶𝑠=1.20 𝑤𝑡 % 𝐶
C𝑥=0.80 𝑤𝑡 % 𝐶
𝑥=0.50 𝑚𝑚= 5 𝑥 10−4𝑚 = 0.3924
𝐷=1.6 𝑥 10−11 𝑚2/𝑠

t= 25,369 s or 7.04
h
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE DIFFUSION

1. Diffusing Species -the significant difference between self-diffusion and


interdiffusion also provides a contrast between rates of diffusion via
vacancy and interstitial mode.

2. Temperature

3. Activation Energy - energy required to produce the diffusive motion of


one mole of atoms. A large activation energy results in a relatively small
diffusion coefficient.
TABULATION OF ERROR FUNCTION VALUES
DIFFUSION COEFFICIENT DETERMINATION

Using the data in Table, compute the diffusion coefficient for


magnesium in aluminum at 550oC.

𝐷0 = a temperature-independent preexponential (m2/s)


𝑄𝑑 𝑄𝑑 = the activation energy for diffusion (J/mol or eV/atom)
𝐷 = 𝐷0exp (− ) 𝑅 = the gas constant, 8.31 J/mol-K or 8.62 x 105 eV/atom-K
𝑅𝑇
𝑇 = absolute temperature (K)

𝐽
𝑚2 130,000
𝐷 = 1.2 x 10−4 exp (− 𝑚𝑜𝑙 )
𝑠 𝐽
8.31 𝑥 550 + 273 𝐾
𝑚𝑜𝑙 − 𝐾

𝑚 2
𝐷 = 6.67 𝑥10−13 )
𝑠
DIFFUSION TEMPERATURE–TIME HEAT TREATMENT
SPECIFICATION

The wear resistance of a steel gear is to be improved by hardening its surface. This
is to be accomplished by increasing the carbon content within an outer surface
layer as a result of carbon diffusion into the steel; the carbon is to be supplied
from an external carbon-rich gaseous atmosphere at an elevated and constant
temperature. The initial carbon content of the steel is 0.20 wt%, whereas the
surface concentration is to be maintained at 1.00 wt%. For this treatment to be
effective, a carbon content of 0.60 wt% must be established at a position 0.75
mm below the surface. Specify an appropriate heat treatment in terms of
temperature and time for temperatures between 900 and 1050oC. Use data in
Table 4.2 for the diffusion of carbon in 𝛾-iron..

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