CHAPTER 4:

Principle of Solidification
The process of metals solidification
Term & formation of solid solution
Types of solid solution

Equilibrium phase diagram of

Binary isomorphous alloy system

Equilibrium phase diagram

for iron- carbon up to 6.7%
Any strong and relatively ductile
substance that provides electropositive
ions to a corrosive environment and that
can be polished to a high luster.
Are composed of elements which
readily give up electrons to provide a
metallic bond and electrical
conductivity.
They play a major role in the industrial
& every day life.
On the periodic table, a diagonal line drawn from
boron (B) to polonium (Po) separates the metals
from the non-metals.
Alloy is a metal, composing of a mixture of elements
Most of alloys are composed of a base metal with
small amounts of additives or alloying elements.
The typical examples of alloys are steel/cast
iron (iron base alloys), bronze/brass (copper
base alloys), aluminum alloys, nickel base
alloys, magnesium base alloys, titanium alloys.

Alloy structure may be a single phase or

a multi phase.
 Metal Alloy

Contain only one metallic element. Contain one than more than one
metallic element.

A pure metal is found in nature. An alloy is a combination of metals

Elements which comes from a
particular area of the periodic
table.

Pure metals dont have the an alloy can be designed to have

appropriate combination of the appropriate combination of
properties needed properties needed
The formation of stable nuclei in the melt
(nucleation)
The growth of nuclei into crystals
Formation of a grain structure.
Phase is a uniform part of an alloy, having a
certain chemical composition and structure, and
which is separated from other alloy constituents
by a phase boundary.

An alloy phase may be in form of valence

compound ( substance formed from two or more
elements), with a fixed ratio determining the
composition) or in form of solid solution.
Solid solution is a phase, where two or
more elements are completely soluble in
each other.

Usually causes increase of electrical

resistance and mechanical strength and
decrease of plasticity of the alloy.
1

If the atoms of the solvent metal and solute

element are of similar sizes (not more, than
15% difference), they form substitution
solid solution, where part of the solvent
atoms are substituted by atoms of the
alloying element
1
2 types of substitution solid solution:
Randomly

Alloying element atom

Solvent metal atom

2

If the atoms of the alloying

elements are considerably
smaller, than the atoms of
the matrix metal, interstitial
solid solution forms, where
the matrix solute / alloy
atoms are located in the
spaces between large solvent
atoms
A pure metal solidifies at one fixed
temperature, a fact which can be checked
by plotting a cooling curve.
A cooling curve may be obtained by
melting a small amount of a metal and
recording the temperature drop at suitable
time intervals as this metal solidifies (the
metal must be allowed to cool very slowly
i.e. under equilibrium conditions) .
 Liquidus the area above the upper line in the diagram,
corresponds to the region of stability of the liquid phase.
Solidus the area below the lower line, represents the
region of stability for the solid phase.
The region between the
liquidus and solidus
represents a two-phase
region where both liquid
and solid phase coexist
 Used to determine phase transition
temperature for both pure metal and
alloys.
Obtained by recording the temperature of a
material vs. time as it cools from a
temperature at which it molten through
solidification and finally to room
temperature.
 Temp (T)
A to B cooling of liquid
B solidification begins
C solidification ends
Melting A C to D cooling of solid
temp

B C
Freezing
temp
Liquid + solid
Liquid D
Solid

Time (t)

Cooling curve of a pure metal

 If the metal is allowed to cool under equilibrium conditions
(slow cooling), its temperature drops continuously along
line AB of the curve.
At the melting point (freezing temp) solidification begins
and the cooling curve becomes flat (horizontal segment
BC) and remain flat until solidification complete.
In region BC, metal is in a mixture of solid and liquid
phases.
As point C approached, the weight fraction of solid in the
mixture grows until solidification complete.
After solidification is complete at C, the cooling curve will
again show a drop in temperature (segment CD of the
curve)
 Equilibrium Phase Diagram
Phase diagram graphical representation of what
phases are present in materials system at various
temp, pressures and compositions.

Most phase diagrams are constructed by using

equilibrium conditions and are used by engineers
and scientist to understand and predict many
aspects of the behavior of materials.
Temp 0C Iron Carbon Equilibrium Phase Diagram

1535
Liquid +
1490 Liquid

1390 Liquid
+ +
Liquid +
Fe3C
1130

Ledeburite
+ + Fe3C
910

723

Pearlite

+ Fe3C

500
1.0 2.0 4.0 5.0 %C
0.03 3.0
0.8 1.7 4.3
 Terms In Equilibrium Phase Diagram
Ferrite - interstitial solid solution of carbon
- BCC lattice
- Maximum Carbon solubility 0.02% at
7230C and decreased to 0.005% at 0
0C

Austenite - has an FCC crystal structure

- maximum Carbon solubility is 1.7% at
1130C and decreases to 0.8% at
723C
Cementite Fe3C hard and brittle compound
- composition of 6.67% C and 93.3%
Fe
 Pearlite - is a two-phased, lamellar (or layered)
structure composed of alternating layers of alpha-
ferrite (88 wt%) and cementite (12%) that occurs in
some steels and cast irons. It forms by a eutectoid
reaction as austenite is slowly cooled below 727C.
The eutectoid composition of Austenite is
approximately 0.8% carbon

The eutectoid reaction describes the phase

transformation of one solid into two different
solids.
Ferrite to pearlite transformation
 Cast iron
Cast iron is made by remelting pig iron
The amount of carbon in cast irons is 2.1 - 4%
its melting temperature of 1150 to 1200 C is
about 300 degrees lower than the melting point
of pure iron
With its low melting point, good fluidity,
castability, excellent machinability and wear
resistance, cast irons have become an engineering
material with a wide range of applications,
including pipes, machine and car parts.
 Pig iron

Pig iron is the intermediate product of smelting iron

ore with a high-carbon fuel such as coke, usually with
limestone as a flux. It is the molten iron from the
blast furnace, which is a large and cylinder-shaped
furnace charged with iron ore, coke, and limestone.
Charcoal and anthracite have also been used as fuel.
Temp 0C Iron Carbon Equilibrium Phase Diagram

1535
Liquid +
1490 Liquid

1390 Liquid
+ +
1200 Liquid +
Fe3C
1130

Ledeburite
+
910 Cast iron

723

Pearlite

500
1.0 2.0 4.0 5.0 %C
0.03 3.0
0.8 1.7 4.3
End of chapter