System Part of the universe under study.

. Phase Phase is chemically homogeneous, physically distinct and mechanically separable part of the system under study. Variable A particular phase exists under various conditions of T , p & C. These parameters are called as the variables of the phase. Component The elements present in the system are called as components

Alloy Alloy is a mixture of two or more elements having metallic properties. The element present in the largest proportion is a metal and the others can be metals or nonmetals. The element which is present in the largest amount is called as the base metal or parent metal or solvent and the other elements are called as alloying elements or solute.

i. ii.

It is an alloy in which the atoms of solute are distributed in the solvent and has the same structure as that of the solvent. Solid solutions have different compositions with similar structures and are like liquid solutions such as sugar in water Solid Solutions are of two types: Substitutional Interstitial

Substitutional solid solution means the atoms of B element i.e. solute are substituted at the atomic sites of A element i.e. solvent. Depending on the distribution of B atoms in A, substitutional solid solutions are classified into two types : Regular or Ordered Random or Disordered

i. ii.

In regular solid solution, the substitution of B atoms in A is by a definite order while there is no definite order or regularity in random solid solution

Substitutional solution formation is favoured if the atomic sizes of the two metals are nearly equal. In some alloy systems order-disorder transformation exists and hence these alloys are worked in the disordered region.

This type of solid solution is favoured when the atomic size of B is very much small as compared to the atomic size of A.

When addition of alloying element (solute) exceeds the solid solubility limit, a second phase appears with the solid solution. This second phase may be another solid solution or an intermediate phase. Intermediate phases differ in composition as well as crystal structure from the parent metals and hence their properties are also different. When intermetallic phases have a fixed composition , they are called intermetallic compounds.

1)

Atomic size factor: (Rsolvent Rsolute) < 15% Electro positivity: (E.P.solvent = E.P.solute) approx. Valence: Vsolvent < Vsolute Crystal Structure: C.S.solvent = C.S.solute

2)

3)

4)

P+F=C+2 P: No. of phases in the system. F: Degree of freedom, i.e. number of variables (T, p or C) that can be changed independently without changing the no. of phases in the system. C: No. of components (i.e. elements) in the system 2: Any two variables out of the above three. This law is valid under conditions of equilibrium.

Many a times temperature remains constant at 1 atmospheric pressure and hence its no more a variable. This modifies our Gibbs phase rule and it becomes : P+F=C+1 1 represents any one variable out of the remaining two i.e. temperature and concentration

The first step in the solidification is the formation of nuclei. Nucleus can be regarded as a small cluster of atoms having the right crystalline arrangement. Nuclei formation starts when the melt is cooled below its melting point. The rate of nuclei formation depends on degree of undercooling or supercooling as well as presence of impurities which considerably facilitate nucleation

At any temperature below melting point, nucleus should be of some critical size for growth to occur. Particles smaller than the critical size will be dissolved by the vigorous bombardment of neighboring atoms and cannot grow are called embryos. The extent of undercooling varies from metal to metal and also depends on the impurities present in the metal

4 r2
(Energy needed to create interface)

4/3 r3 Fv
(Energy released by volume of solidifying phase)

r* f* =

-2 / Fv 16
3/3(

Fv)2

Slow cooling favors uniformly in all the directions of growth and gives equiaxed crystals i.e. the crystals with equal dimensions in all the directions, whereas rapid cooling favors tree like crystals, called dendrites. The exact shape of crystal depends on the condition that exist during solidification. Typical cast metal shows fine-grained structure at the surface and equiaxed structure in the centre with columnar grains perpendicular to the cooling surface in between the two.

Definition: Diagram that shows equilibrium temperaturecomposition relationships for different phases of a system.

Binary Isomorphous System