ENR116 – Mod. 3- Slide No.

Phase diagrams
 ENR116 – Mod. 3- Slide No. 2

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of this section, students will be able to:-

• Understand the common terms used with a phase diagram

• Understand how to read a phase diagram

• Identify the effects of temperature and composition on the

phases of a material

• Understand how phase diagrams are used to aid in material

design
 ENR116 – Mod. 3- Slide No. 3

Phase equilibria:
Solubility limit
Solution: solid, liquid, or gas solutions, single phase.
Mixture: more than one phase.
Sugar/Water Phase Diagram
100
Solubility Limit: Solubility
L

Temperature (ºC)
80 Limit
(liquid)
Maximum concentration 60
L +
for which only a single
40 (liquid solution S
phase solution exists. i.e., syrup) (solid
20 sugar)

0 20 40 60 80 100
C = Composition (wt% sugar)

Sugar
Water

Adapted from Fig. 9.1, Callister & Rethwisch 8e.

 ENR116 – Mod. 3- Slide No. 4

Phase equilibria:
Solubility limit
Question: What is the solubility
limit for sugar in water at 20ºC?
Adapted from Fig. 9.1, Callister & Rethwisch 8e.

Sugar/Water Phase Diagram

100
Answer: 65 wt% sugar Solubility
L

Temperature (ºC)
80 Limit
At 20ºC, C < 65 wt% sugar = L (liquid)
60 +
L
At 20ºC, C > 65 wt% sugar = L + S 40 (liquid solution S
i.e., syrup) (solid
20 sugar)

0 20 40 6065 80 100
C = Composition (wt% sugar)

Sugar
Water
 ENR116 – Mod. 3- Slide No. 5

Components and phases

Components: The elements or compounds which are
present in the alloy (e.g., Al and Cu).

Phases: The physically and chemically distinct material

regions that form (e.g., a and b).

Aluminum-Copper b (lighter
Alloy
phase)

a (darker
Adapted from chapter-
opening photograph,
phase)
Chapter 9, Callister,
Materials Science &
Engineering: An
Introduction, 3e.
 ENR116 – Mod. 3- Slide No. 6

Effect of temperature & composition

Altering T can change # of phases: path A to B.
Altering C can change # of phases: path B to C.
B (100ºC,C = 70) C (100ºC,C = 90)
1 phase 2 phases
100

80 L
Temperature (ºC)

(liquid)
sugar-water 60 +
system L S
(liquid solution (solid
40 i.e., syrup) sugar)
20 A (20ºC,C = 70)
2 phases
Adapted from Fig. 9.1, 0
Callister & Rethwisch 8e. 0 20 40 60 70 80 100
C = Composition (wt% sugar)
 ENR116 – Mod. 3- Slide No. 7

Criteria for solid solubility

Simple system: (e.g., Cu-Ni solution)

Crystal
Structure electronegativity r (nm)

Ni FCC 1.9 0.1246

Cu FCC 1.8 0.1278

Both have the same crystal structure (FCC) and have similar
electronegativities and atomic radii suggesting high mutual
solubility.

Ni and Cu are totally soluble in one another for all proportions.

 ENR116 – Mod. 3- Slide No. 8

Summary

• A phase is a physically and chemically distinct material

formed by combination of two elements.

• Changing the temperature and/or composition can change

the number of phases.