Development of microstructure

in isomorphous alloys
Equilibrium (very slow) cooling
Upon cooling from the liquidus line (in the solid + liquid
phase region) formation of the solid occurs gradually.

Compositions of the solid and the liquid change

gradually during cooling
(as determined by the tie-line method.)

At the solidus line, nuclei grow to consume all the liquid

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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

Microstructure in binary isomorphous alloys

Equilibrium (very slow) cooling

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Non-equilibrium cooling

3
 Development of microstructure in isomorphous alloys
Non-equilibrium cooling
• Compositional change  diffusion
SOLID
• Diffusion is very slow  Tie-line invalid
New layers formed on top of existing grains have the equilibrium
composition at that T  Formation of layered (cored) grains.
LIQUID
• Diffusion is fast  Tie-line method works
Lever rule  greater proportion of liquid phase as compared to
equilibrium at the same T  Solidus line is shifted to the right
(higher Ni content), solidification is complete at lower T, outer
parts of grains are richer in the low-melting component (Cu).

• Upon heating grain boundaries will melt first. This can lead to
premature mechanical failure.
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Mechanical properties of isomorphous alloys
Solid solution strengthening

5
 Binary Eutectic Systems (I)
Alloys with limited
solubility

silver (Ag) / copper

(Cu) radii differ

The melting point of

eutectic alloy
is lower than that of
the components
(eutectic = easy to
melt in Greek).
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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams
Binary Eutectic System
Eutectic reaction – transition from liquid to mixture of two
solid phases,  +  at eutectic concentration CE.

Two phases in equilibrium except:

Three phases (L, , ) in equilibrium only at a few points
along the eutectic isotherm. Single-phase regions
are separated by 2-phase regions.

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 Binary Eutectic System-Copper – Silver phase diagram

Three single phase regions

 = solid solution Ag in Cu rich matrix,
 = solid solution of Cu in Ag rich matrix,
L = liquid
Three two-phase regions ( + L,  +L,  +)
Solvus  limit of solubility, Separates one solid solution from the mixture
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 Binary Eutectic System

Lead – Tin phase diagram

Invariant or eutectic point

Eutectic isotherm

Eutectic or invariant point - Liquid + two solid phases co-

exist at eutectic composition CE and eutectic temperature
TE
Eutectic isotherm - horizontal solidus line at TE
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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

Relative amounts of microconstituents?

Eutectic microconstituent forms from liquid having eutectic composition
(61.9 wt% Sn)
Treat eutectic as separate phase and apply lever rule to find relative
fractions of primary  phase (18.3 wt% Sn) and eutectic structure (61.9
wt% Sn):

We = P / (P+Q) (eutectic) W’ = Q / (P+Q) (primary)

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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams
Microstructure in eutectic alloys (I)
Several types of microstructure formed in slow cooling an different
compositions.
Cooling of liquid lead/tin system at different compositions.

In this case of lead-rich alloy (0-

2 wt. % of tin) solidification
proceeds in the same manner as
for isomorphous alloys (e.g. Cu-
Ni) that we discussed earlier.

L   +L 

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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

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Solution Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

Microstructure in eutectic alloys (III)

Solidification at the eutectic composition (I)
No changes above eutectic temperature, TE. At TE liquid transforms to 
and  phases (eutectic reaction).

L   +
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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

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Solution Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

Microstructure in eutectic alloys (IV)

Solidification at the eutectic composition (II)
Compositions of  and  very different  eutectic reaction involves
redistribution of Pb and Sn atoms by atomic diffusion. Simultaneous
formation of  and  phases results in a layered (lamellar)
microstructure:called eutectic structure.

Formation of eutectic structure in lead-tin system.

Dark layers are lead-rich  phase.
Lightoflayers
University areofthe
Virginia, Dept. tin-rich
Materials  phase.
Science and Engineering 17
 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

Microstructure in eutectic alloys (II)

At compositions between room temperature solubility limit and the
maximum solid solubility at the eutectic temperature,  phase
nucleates as the  solid solubility is exceeded at solvus line.

 +L

 +

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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams
Microstructure in eutectic alloys (V)
Compositions other than eutectic
Primary  phase is formed in the  + L region, and the eutectic structure
that includes layers of  and  phases (called eutectic  and eutectic 
phases) is formed upon crossing the eutectic isotherm.
L   + L   +

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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

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Solution Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

Microstructure in eutectic alloys (VI)

Microconstituent – element of microstructure having a distinctive
structure. For case described on previous page, microstructure consists of
two microconstituents, primary  phase and the eutectic structure.

Although the eutectic structure consists of two phases, it is a

microconstituent with distinct lamellar structure and fixed ratio of the two
phases. University of Virginia, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering 22
 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

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Solution Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

1. A lead–tin alloy of
composition 30 wt% Sn–70
wt% Pb is slowly heated
from a temperature of ( 150
°C). (a) At what
temperature does the first
liquid phase form?
(b) What is the
composition of this liquid
phase?
(c) At what temperature
does complete melting of
the alloy occur?
(d) What is the
composition of the last
solid remaining prior to
complete melting?
Ans: (a)183 °C, (b) CL=61.9, (c) = 260 °C, (d) = 13 wt%
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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

5. A 2.0-kg specimen of an 85
wt% Pb–15 wt% Sn alloy is
heated to ( 200 °C); at this
temperature it is entirely an ά-
phase solid solution (Figure
9.8).The alloy is to be melted
to the extent that 50% of the
specimen is liquid, the
remainder being the phase.
This may be accomplished by
heating the alloy or changing
its composition while holding
the temperature constant.
(a) To what temperature
must the specimen be
heated? Ans: 280 °C
(b) How much tin must be
added to the 2.0-kg specimen
at 200 °C to achieve this
state?
Ans: 0.698 kg

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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

2. A 40 wt% Pb–60 wt% Mg alloy is heated to a temperature within the ά

+liquid-phase region. If the mass fraction of each phase is 0.5, then estimate:
(a) The temperature of the alloy (b) The compositions of the two phases

Ans: (a)540 °C, (b) Cά=26 Wt%, CL,=54 Wt% Pb

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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

3.A 60 wt% Pb–40

wt% Mg alloy is
rapidly quenched to
room temperature
from an elevated
temperature in such a
way that the high
temperature
microstructure is
preserved. This
microstructure is
found to consist of the
α- phase and Mg2Pb,
having respective
mass fractions of 0.42
and 0.58. Determine
the approximate
temperature from
which the alloy was
quenched. University of Virginia, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering
Ans: 400 °C
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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

6. For 5.7 kg of a
magnesium–lead
alloy of
composition
50 wt% Pb–50 wt%
Mg, is it possible,
at equilibrium, to
have α- and Mg2Pb
phases with
respective masses
of 5.13 and
0.57 kg? If so, what
will be the
approximate
temperature of the
alloy? If such an
alloy is
not possible, then
explain why.
Ans: Not possible

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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

3. Is it possible to
have a copper–
silver alloy that,
at equilibrium,
consists of β -
phase of
composition 92
wt% Ag –8 wt%
Cu, and also a
liquid phase of
composition 76
wt% Ag–24 wt%
Cu?
If so, what will
be the
approximate
temperature of
the alloy? If this
is not possible,
explain why.
Ans: Yes, 800 °C

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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

4. Is it possible to have a
copper–silver alloy of
composition 20 wt%
Ag–80 wt% Cu that, at
equilibrium, consists of
α and liquid (L) phases
having mass fractions
Wα = 0.8 and and Wβ
= 0.20? If so, what will
be the approximate
temperature of the alloy?
If such an alloy is not
possible, explain why.

Ans: Yes, 800 °C

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 Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 9, Phase Diagrams

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