Scribd
Upload
7 views36 pages

Metals & Alloys

The document discusses alloys, which are metallic mixtures that enhance properties like strength and corrosion resistance. It explains solid solutions, the Hume Rothery rules for substitutional solid solutions, and the concept of solubility limits. Additionally, it covers the Gibbs Phase Rule and phase diagrams, which illustrate the relationships between phases in alloy systems under varying conditions.

Uploaded by

tabrijali6
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
7 views36 pages

Metals & Alloys

The document discusses alloys, which are metallic mixtures that enhance properties like strength and corrosion resistance. It explains solid solutions, the Hume Rothery rules for substitutional solid solutions, and the concept of solubility limits. Additionally, it covers the Gibbs Phase Rule and phase diagrams, which illustrate the relationships between phases in alloy systems under varying conditions.

Uploaded by

tabrijali6
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 36

Metals & Alloys

Alloys
An alloy is a metallic substance consisting of a mixture of two or more metals or of a metal
with a non-metal such as carbon to obtain desirable properties. An alloy is obtained by cooling
the molten mixture of the pure constituent elements.

Alloying improves the fundamental properties of metals such as tensile strength, hardness,
luster and resistance to corrosion. An alloy can be considered as a uniform mixture made by
melting the components together and solidifying the mixture. The components of an alloy are
mixed in the desired proportion and should not undergo any chemical changes during the
process of alloying. The elements in an alloy must be soluble in each other when molten and
must not separate into different layers when the mixture is cooled and solidified. There are
certain alloys that are compounds, such alloys are called intermetallic compounds.
Solid Solution
When homogeneous mixtures of two or more kinds of atoms
occur in the solid state, they are known as solid solutions. A
solid solution is formed when two metals are completely soluble
in liquid state and also completely soluble in solid state.

The term solvent refers to the more abundant atomic form, and
solute to the less abundant. These solutions are also usually
crystalline.

Solid solutions occur in either of two distinct types:


Substitutional solid solution: A direct substitution of one
type of atom for another occurs so that solute atoms enter the
crystal to take positions normally occupied by solvent atoms.
Interstitial solid solution: The solute atom (carbon) does
not displace a solvent atom, but, rather, enters one of the
holes, or interstices, between the solvent (iron) atoms.
Hume Rothery rules for the formation of substitutional solid solutions
By studying a number of alloy systems, Hume Rothery formulated certain rules which govern
the formation of substitutional solid solutions. These are:

❑ Crystal structure factor: For complete solid solubility, the two elements should have the
same type of crystal structure.
❑ Relative size factor: For extensive solid solubility the difference in atomic radii of two
elements should be less than about 15 percent.
❑ Chemical affinity factor: Solid solubility is favoured when the two metals have lesser
chemical affinity.
❑ Relative valence factor: The solute and solvent atoms should typically have the same
valence in order to achieve maximum solubility.
Solubility Limit
The maximum concentration of the solute that can
dissolve within the solvent without the formation of a
second phase rich in solute.

For many alloy systems and at some specific temperature,


there is a maximum concentration of solute atoms that
may dissolve in the solvent to form a solid solution; this
is called a solubility limit.
Phase
A phase is a homogenous, physically distinct and mechanically separable portion of the
material with a given chemical composition and structure (a and b).
Intermediate Alloy Phases
Addition of an alloying element to a given metal to an excessive amount than solid
solubility results in a second phase appearance with the solid solutions. This second
phase is known as Intermediate Alloy Phase.
Phase Rule
Provided the equilibrium between any no. of phases is not influenced by gravity or
electrical forces or magnetic forces or surface tension, and influenced only by the
temperature, pressure and concentration then the no. of degrees of freedom (F) of the
system is related to no. of components (C) and phases (P).

The Phase Rule, known as Gibbs Phase Rule, establishes the relationship between the number
of degrees of freedom (F), the number of components (C) and the number of phases (P). It is
expressed mathematically as follows:
P+F=C+2
where, P is the number of phases (e.g., solid, liquid etc.)
F is the number of degrees of freedom or the number of physical ' variables (pressure,
temperature and concentration) that can be independently changed without altering the
equilibrium, i.e., without causing disappearance of a phase or the formation of a new phase
in the system.
C is the number of components in the system (for example, Pb and Sn are the components
of Pb-Sn equilibrium diagram
In studying the chemical equilibrium, temperature and pressure are considered as external
factors determining the state of the system. Therefore in the phase rule equation, the digit 2
stands for these two variables - temperature and pressure.

In applying the Gibb’s phase rule to the metal systems, the pressure is considered as remaining
fixed at one atmosphere. Thus, the effect of pressure is neglected, leaving only one variable
factor i.e. temperature.
• The phase rule equation then simplifies to F = C – P + 1
• Since the degrees of freedom F cannot be less than zero so, C + 1 – P => 0, OR P <= C + 1
which means the number of Phases can not exceed the number of component plus one.
Phase Diagram
A diagram that depicts existence of different
phases of a system under equilibrium is termed
as phase diagram.
• It is actually a collection of solubility limit
curves. It is also known as equilibrium or
constitutional diagram.
• Equilibrium phase diagrams represent there
relationships between temperature, compositions
and the quantities of phases at equilibrium.

❑ Unary Phase Diagram: If a system consists of


just one component (e.g.: water), equilibrium of
phases exists depicted by unary phase diagram.
The component may exist in different forms,
thus variables here are–temperature and
pressure.
❑ Binary Phase Diagram: If a system consists of just two component and equilibrium of phases
exists depicted by binary phase diagram. If a system consist soft components, equilibrium of
phases exist is depicted by binary phase diagram. Pressure is constant, thus in dependently
variable parameters are– temperature and composition.
The Lever Rule
Fe-C Binary Phase Diagram
Heat Treatment of Steels

You might also like