Solidification

Casting
• One of the oldest manufacturing processes – 4000 B.C. with stone
and metal molds for casting copper
• Pour molten metal into a mold cavity to produce solidified parts that
take on the shape of the cavity
• Many different casting processes, each with its own characteristics,
applications and materials, advantages, limitations, and costs
• Casting can produce complex shapes with internal cavities or hollow
sections
• Casting can produce very large parts
• Competitive with other processes
• Good net-shape manufacturing for metals
05/02/2023 2
05/02/2023 3
Solidification of Pure Metals

Pure metals solidify at a constant temperature. During freezing the latent heat
of solidification is given off. Most metals shrink on solidification and shrink
further as the solid cools to room temperature.
05/02/2023 4
Solidification of Pure Metals
Direction of heat flow

Temperature distribution in a mold part

way through solidification. Grain structure for pure metal
05/02/2023 5
Solid Solution of Alloys

Metal alloys in which one metal is soluble in the other in the solid state.
These are also called binary alloys. Ex. Copper/Nickel alloys

05/02/2023 6
05/02/2023 7
 HOMOGENEOUS NUCLEATION

05/02/2023 8
05/02/2023 9
 HETEROGENEOUS NUCLEATION

05/02/2023 10
05/02/2023 11
05/02/2023 12
 GIBB’S FREE ENERGY

05/02/2023 13
 ENERGIES INVOLVED IN
HOMOGENEOUS NUCLEATION

05/02/2023 14
05/02/2023 15
 CRITICAL RADIUS

05/02/2023 16
CRITICAL NUCLEAI Vs. UNDERCOOLING

05/02/2023 17
 HUME RUTHERY RULE FOR
FORMATION OF SUBSTITUTIONAL
SOLID SOLUTION

05/02/2023 18
 a. Atomic size factor

Appreciable quantities of a solute may be accommodated in

this type of solid solution only when the difference in atomic
radii between the two atoms types is less than about ± 15%
otherwise the solute atoms will create a substitutional lattice
distortion and a new phase will form.

b. Crystal structure

For appreciable solid solubility the crystal structure for metals

of both atom types must be the same.
05/02/2023 19
c. Electro negativity

The more electropositive one element and the more electro

negative the other, the greater is the likely hood that they will
form an intermetallic compound instead of substitutional solid
solution.

d. Valances

Other factors being equal, a metal will have more tendency to

dissolve another metal of higher valence than one of a lower
valence.

05/02/2023 20
An example for substistutional solid solution is copper
and nickel alloy. These two elements are completely soluble
in one another at all proportions. The atomic radii for Cu
and Ni are 0.128 and 0.125 mm respectively both have
the FCCstructure and their electro negativities are 1.9 and 1.8
finally the most common valances are +1 for Copper and +2
for nickel.

05/02/2023 21
Gibbs Phase Rule:

The phase rule, established as Gibbs Phase Rule, establishes

the relationship between the number of degrees of
freedom(F) and the number of components ,(C) and the
number of phases (P).

It is expressed mathematically as:

P+ F=C+2
P.. is the number of phases (eg. Solid,liquid )

F.. is the number of degrees of Freedom or the number of

variables that can be changed independently without varying
the equilibrium.

C.. is the number of components in the system.

Eg . Fe & c in an Ironcarbon phase diagram.

Let us consider the application of Gibbs Phase Rule to the

pressure temperature diagram of pure water. At the tripe
point , three phases namely , solid, liquid, gas coexist. Science
here is only one component in the system (water), number of
degrees of freedom can be calculated
 3+F=1+2
F=0, Since none f the variables (Pressure,
temperature etc.) can be
changed and still keep the three phases in
equilibrium, the triple point is
called an Invariant Point.
 YO U
A N K
TH

05/02/2023 25