Exercises: Phase Diagrams

1. 2. For a Cu-Ag alloy consisting of 80 wt. % Cu determine the compositions of the solid and liquid phases and calculate their percentage weight fractions when this alloy is cooled to 900C. A Cu-Ag alloy consists of 71.9 wt. % Ag. What are the compositions of the individual phases present and their percentage weight fractions in this alloy if it is cooled to (i) 780 C, (ii) 778 C, (iii) room temperature? A Cu-Ag alloy contains 40 wt. % Ag. (a) What are the compositions of the proeutectic (i.e. primary) solid and the liquid phase and their percentage weight fractions in this alloy when it is cooled to 780 C. (b) What are the percentage weight fractions of proeutectic solid and eutectic solid when the alloy is cooled to 778 C? (c) What are the compositions of the individual phases comprising the proeutectic solid and the eutectic solid at 778C? By simple inspection of the Cu-Ag phase diagram make neat, approximate sketches of the following CuAg alloys:(a) 40 wt. % Ag at 900 C, 780 C, 778 C. (b) 71.9 wt. % Ag at 778 C. (c) 95 wt. % Ag at 779 C, 500 C. 1200

3.

4.

Liquidus
1000 Liquid

Solidus
+L Temperature (C) 800 779C 8.0 71.9 +L 91.2

600

Solvus
+

Solvus

400

200 0 (Cu) 20 40 60 80 100 (Ag) Composition (wt% Ag)

The iron-carbon phase diagram

(Refer to the appropriate version of the Fe-C diagrams given on the following page) 1. 2. 3. By inspection determine how many times greater is the maximum solubility of carbon in austenite than in ferrite? What are the respective temperatures at which these maximum solubilities occur? What minimum temperature must a steel of (a) 0.4%, (b) 0.8% carbon be heated to in order for it to be fully austenitic? Calculate the percentage weight fractions of phases present in steels of 0.2% and 1.4% carbon content respectively if they are slowly cooled from the austenite region to just above the eutectoid temperature. If these alloys are now cooled to just below the eutectoid temperature determine the weight fractions of the proeutectoid (or primary) phase and the eutectoid microconstituent respectively. (Note: we use the term microconstituent because strictly speaking the eutectoid portion of the structure is not a single phase. Rather, it is an intimate mixture of of two quite distinct phases. What are these two distinct phases?) A steel has a microstructure consisting of 100% pearlite. What is its overall carbon content? What is the composition of each phase comprising this pearlite at (a) 722 C, (b) room temperature? A steel cooled to just below the eutectoid temperature has a microstructure consisting of 25% pearlite and the remainder primary ferrite. What is the composition of this steel? A steel cooled to just below the eutectoid temperature consists of 90% pearlite and the remainder proeutectoid or primary cementite. Determine the composition of this steel. This problem is an exercise in relating microstructure to carbon composition using the phase diagram. Consider two plain carbon steels that have been slow-cooled: steel A has a carbon content that is 0.2% above the eutectoid composition and steel B has a carbon content that is 0.2% below the eutectoid composition. Identify and calculate the respective amounts of proeutectoid (i.e. primary) and eutectoid phase in these two steels and draw their respective microstructures. Assuming that there is no obvious difference in the optical appearance under a microscope of the proeutectoid phases in the two steels how would you decide which is the hypo-eutectoid steel and which is the hyper-eutectoid steel?

4. 5. 6. 7.

1000 900 800 0.02 Temperature (C) 700 600 500 +

+ Fe3C 723C

Fe3C + Fe3C

400

0 100% Fe 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 austenite + L+

0.4

0.8 Weight Percent Carbon

6.67

Liquid L + Fe3C L+ 1.7 4.3 + Fe3C + 0.8 723C 1148C

Temperature (C)

+ Fe3C

Fe3C

0 100% Fe

Weight Percent Carbon

6.67 Fe3C

1.

For a Cu-Ag alloy consisting of 80 wt. % Cu determine the compositions of the solid and liquid phases and calculate their percentage weight fractions when this alloy is cooled to 900 C. 1200

1000 +L 779C 8.0 600 + 400 8 200 0 (Cu) 20 40 42.5

Liquid

Temperature (C)

800

+L 71.9 91.2

778C

91.2 60 80 100 (Ag)

Composition (wt% Ag)

Composition of the solid and liquid phases of the alloy at 900 C: Draw tieline a-b across ( + L) phase field at 900 C Divide this tieline at point c which corresponds to the bulk alloy composition of 80 wt. % Cu (i.e. 20 wt. % Ag). Draw down from point a to find the composition of the phase = 8 wt. % Ag. Draw down from point b to find the composition of the Liq phase = 42.5 wt. % Ag. Percentage weight fractions of the alloy at 900 C: % wt fraction of at 900 C =

cb 100 42.5 20 100 = = 65% ab 1 42.5 8 1

ac 100 20 8 100 = = 35% Liq ab 1 42.5 8 1

% wt fraction of Liq at 900 C =

2.

A Cu-Ag alloy consists of 71.9 wt. % Ag. What are the compositions of the individual phases present and their percentage weight fractions in this alloy if it is cooled to (i) 780 C, (ii) 778 C, (iii) room temperature?

Refer to Diagram A The bulk composition of the alloy is right on the eutectic composition, i.e. it is the eutectic alloy. (i) At 780 C: The alloy is 100 % Liquid. (ii) At 778 C: The alloy has transformed completely to the solid eutectic ( + ). Draw a tieline across the + field at 778 C. The composition of the + can be derived from the intersection of the tieline with the Solvus boundaries: Composition of determined from point d = 8 wt. % Ag. Composition of determined from point f = 91.2 wt. % Ag. Percentage weight fractions of the alloy at 778 C: Divide tieline d-f at bulk composition e: % wt fraction of at eutectic solid =

ef 100 91.2 71.9 100 = = 23% 1 91.2 8 1 df ed 100 71.9 8 100 = = 77% 1 91.2 8 1 df

% wt fraction of at eutectic solid =

(iii) At Room Temp: Not shown on Phase Diagram, However Solvus lines slope back to their respective pure metal compositions as the temperature decreases. Therefore at room temperature is 100 % Cu and is 100 % Ag. The Tieline at room temperature is divided up by original bulk composition. Therefore at room temperature: % wt fraction of =

100 71.9 100 = 28% 100 0 1 71.9 0 100 = 72% 100 0 1

% wt fraction of =

3.

A Cu-Ag alloy contains 40 wt. % Ag. (a) What are the compositions of the proeutectic (i.e. primary) solid and the liquid phase and their percentage weight fractions in this alloy when it is cooled to 780 C. (b) What are the percentage weight fractions of proeutectic solid and eutectic solid when the alloy is cooled to 778 C? (c) What are the compositions of the individual phases comprising the proeutectic solid and the eutectic solid at 778C? 1200

1000 +L 8.0 600 + 400 8 200 0 (Cu) Refer to Diagram B. 20 40 779C

Liquid 780C +L 71.9 778C 91.2

Temperature (C)

800

71.9

60

80

100 (Ag)

Composition (wt% Ag)

(a) cooled to 780 C: Draw alloy bulk composition vertical at 40 wt. % Ag. Add a tieline a-b across ( + L) phase at 780 C, intersecting composition line at point c. Therefore composition of proeutectic is given by point a = 8 wt. % Ag. Therefore composition of Liquid is given by point b = 71.9 wt. % Ag. % wt fraction of proeutectic at 780 C =

cb 100 71.9 40 100 = = 50% 71.9 8 1 ab 1

% wt fraction of Liq at 780 C =

40 8 100 ac 100 = = 50% Liq 71.9 8 1 ab 1

(b) % weight fractions at 778 C: The remaining liquid at 780 C is of eutectic composition (71.9 wt. % Ag), when the temperature is lowered to 778 C this liquid transforms completely into eutectic ( + ) solid. From 3 (a), there was 50 % solid proeutectic and 50 % liquid, therefore at 778 C there is 50 % solid proeutectic and 50 % eutectic ( + ) solid. (c) Composition at 778 C: At 778 C the compositions of the proeutectic and the eutectic ( + ) are obtained from the ends of the tieline across the ( + ) region at 778 C. (both proeutectic and eutectic) = 8 wt. % Ag. (i.e. in eutectic) = 91.2 wt. % Ag.

4.

By simple inspection of the Cu-Ag phase diagram make neat, approximate sketches of the following CuAg alloys:(a) 40 wt. % Ag at 900 C, 780 C, 778 C. (b) 71.9 wt. % Ag at 778 C. (c) 95 wt. % Ag at 779 C, 500 C. See Diagram C Below.

Proeut (a)

Proeut

Proeut

eutectic +

40% Ag @ 900C 1200

40% Ag @ 780C

40% Ag @ 778C

1000 +L 8.0 600 + 400 8 200 0 (Cu) (b) (c) eutectic solid 20 40 779C

Liquid 780C +L 71.9 778C 91.2

Temperature (C)

800

71.9

60

80

100 (Ag)

Composition (wt% Ag)

95% Ag @ 500C

71.9% Ag @ 778C

95% Ag @ 779C

Questions on the Iron-carbon phase diagram

1. By inspection determine how many times greater is the maximum solubility of carbon in austenite than in ferrite? What are the respective temperatures at which these maximum solubilities occur? See diagram D.

1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200

L+ Liquid L + Fe3C L+ austenite 1.7 4.3 + Fe3C + 0.8 723C 1148C

Max Carbon Solubility in is 1.7 wt. % at 1148 C. Max Carbon Solubility in is 0.02 wt. % at 723 C. Therefore solubility in is 1.7/0.02, approx = 85 times greater than in

Temperature (C)

+ Fe3C

Fe3C

0 100% Fe

Weight Percent Carbon

6.67 Fe3C

2.

What minimum temperature must a steel of (a) 0.4%, (b) 0.8% carbon be heated to in order for it to be fully austenitic? See Diagram E.

1000 900

+ Fe3C 800 Temperature (C) 0.02 700 600 500 + Fe3C 400 Fe3C + 723C

Min temp for 100 % at 0.4 % Carbon is approx = 810 C. Min temp for 100 % at 0.8 % Carbon is approx = 723 C.

0 100% Fe

0.4

0.8 Weight Percent Carbon

6.67

3.

Calculate the percentage weight fractions of phases present in steels of 0.2% and 1.4% carbon content respectively if they are slowly cooled from the austenite region to just above the eutectoid temperature. If these alloys are now cooled to just below the eutectoid temperature determine the weight fractions of the proeutectoid (or primary) phase and the eutectoid microconstituent respectively. (Note: we use the term microconstituent because strictly speaking the eutectoid portion of the structure is not a single phase. Rather, it is an intimate mixture of of two quite distinct phases. What are these two distinct phases?)

First apply the leaver rule using the tieline drawn just above 723 C in the + region. For 0.2 % C alloy % wt fraction of proeutectoid =

0.8 0.2 100 = 77% 0.8 0.02 1 0.2 0.02 100 = 23% 0.8 0.02 1 0.8 0.4 100 = 51% 0.8 0.02 1

% wt fraction of proeutectoid = For 0.4 % C alloy % wt fraction of proeutectoid =

Thus % wt fraction of proeutectoid = 49 % For 0.8 % C Alloy At just above 723 C structure is entirely For 1.4 % C alloy The Proeutectoid phase is now Fe3C % wt fraction of Fe3C =

1.4 0.8 100 = 10% 6.7 0.8 1

Thus % wt fraction of = 90 % If we now reduce the temp pf these alloys to just below 723 the transforms to ( + Fe3C) pearlite. Therefore: 0.2 % C Steel contains 77 % proeutectic ferrite () & 23 % pearlite ( + Fe3C). 0.4 % C Steel contains 51 % proeutectic ferrite () & 49 % pearlite ( + Fe3C). 0.8 % C Steel contains 100 % pearlite ( + Fe3C). 1.4 % C Steel contains 10 % proeutectic Fe3C & 90 % pearlite ( + Fe3C). The microconstituent pearlite consists of ferrite () and Fe3C (Cementite).

4.

A steel has a microstructure consisting of 100% pearlite. What is its overall carbon content? What is the composition of each phase comprising this pearlite at (a) 722 C, (b) room temperature?

100 % pearlite structure must come from austenite () at 0.8 % C.

1000 900 800 Temperature (C) 0.02 700 600 500 + Fe3C 400 Fe3C + 723C + Fe3C

(a) Draw tieline just below 723. Therefore pearlite consists of of 0.02 % C and Fe3C at 6.7 % C. (b) At room temperature is pure Fe and Fe3C remains at 6.7 % C.

0 100% Fe

0.4

0.8 Weight Percent Carbon

6.67

5.

A steel cooled to just below the eutectoid temperature has a microstructure consisting of 25% pearlite and the remainder primary ferrite. What is the composition of this steel?

1000 900 + 800 0.02 Temperature (C) 700 600 500

+ Fe3C 723C

Pearlite is always derived from . Therefore the structure must have had 25 % just above 723 C with the remainder comprising of proeutectic ferrite (). The steel composition C1, can therefore be determined by drawing a tieline across the + rejoin just above 723 C and dividing at he 25 % point. i.e.

Fe3C + Fe3C

400

C1 0.02 100 = 25% 0.8 0.02 1

0 100% Fe

0.4

0.8 Weight Percent Carbon

6.67

therefore C1 = 0.22 % Carbon.

6.

A steel cooled to just below the eutectoid temperature consists of 90% pearlite and the remainder proeutectoid or primary cementite. Determine the composition of this steel.

1000

900 + 0.02 Temperature (C) 700 600 723C + Fe3C

800

Draw tieline across + Fe3C just above 723 C and divide at C2 to give 90 % . i.e.

6.7 C 2 100 = 90% 6.7 0.8 1

500 + Fe3C 400

Fe3C

therefore C2 = 1.4 % Carbon.

0 100% Fe

0.4

0.8 Weight Percent Carbon

6.67

7.

This problem is an exercise in relating microstructure to carbon composition using the phase diagram. Consider two plain carbon steels that have been slow-cooled: steel A has a carbon content that is 0.2% above the eutectoid composition and steel B has a carbon content that is 0.2% below the eutectoid composition. Identify and calculate the respective amounts of proeutectoid (i.e. primary) and eutectoid phase in these two steels and draw their respective microstructures. Assuming that there is no obvious difference in the optical appearance under a microscope of the proeutectoid phases in the two steels how would you decide which is the hypo-eutectoid steel and which is the hyper-eutectoid steel?
1000 900 800 Temperature (C) 700 600 500 + Fe3C 400 0.6 0 100% Fe 0.4 0.8 Weight Percent Carbon 1. 6.67 Fe3C + 0.02 723C + Fe3C

For 0.6 % C Steel Wt % proeutectic =

0.8 0.6 100 = 25% 0.8 0.2 1

Pearlite
( + Fe3C) 75%

Therefore wt % Pearlite = 75 %.

Proeutectoid
25%

1.0 0.8 100 = 3.4% Wt % proeutectic Fe3C = 6.67 0.8 1

Therefore wt % Pearlite = 96.6 % %. *Thus, only by microscopic inspection can we easily distinguish between the hyper and hypo eutectitoid steels. i.e. the hypereutectic sample will contain lower fraction of the proeutectictoid phase.

For 1.0 % C Steel

0.6 % C Steel Pearlite

( + Fe3C) 96.6%

Proeutectoid
Fe3C 3.4%

1.0 % C Steel

Exercises on constructing phase diagrams The following two problems are exercises in reverse engineering of phase diagrams. They are aimed at testing your understanding. Both are typical of the phase diagrams we have studied in lectures. If you have any difficulty in completing these, revise carefully your lecture notes. 1. On the set of axes provided, construct a phase diagram from the following information: (a) Pure metals A and B form a binary phase diagram with complete solid solubility. (b) These pure metals have melting temperatures of 950C and 350C respectively. (c) An alloy X1 of bulk composition 20 wt% B held at a temperature of 840C consists of 50 wt% solid (with a composition of 10 wt% B) and 50 wt% liquid (with a composition of 29 wt% B). (d) An alloy X2 of bulk composition 50 wt% B held at a temperature of 600 C consists of 75 wt% solid (having a composition of 43 wt% B) and 25 wt% liquid (having a composition of 73 wt% B). (e) An alloy X3 of bulk composition 85 wt% B has just completed freezing at a temperature of 400 C, the last remaining liquid present just before this final freezing took place had a composition of 96 wt% B. (f) 1000C X1
a b

X2

X3

500C
e f

0C A 0 50 Wt percent B B 100

2. Using the axes provided below sketch a phase diagram from the information given. (Note: for this problem assume all phase boundaries you draw are linear) (a) Pure metals C and D form a binary eutectic phase diagram. (b) These pure metals have melting temperatures TC and TD respectively. (c) For a composition of 70wt% C, 100% liquid exists down to a temperature TE at which point it transforms into two solid phases. (d) The temperature TE has a value of 0.75TC. (e) The maximum solubility of metal D in metal C is 10wt%. (f) The maximum solubility of metal C in metal D is 30wt%. (g) The maximum solubility of metal D in metal C at room temperature TRT is 2wt%. (h) The maximum solubility of metal C in metal D at room temperature TRT is 5wt%.

Liquid of composition 70%C (30%D) transforms completely into eutectic solid at TE at this point TC

TD

TE

Maximum solubility of metal D in metal C

Maximum solubility of metal C in metal D

Maximum solubility of metal D in metal C at RT TRT C 25 50

Maximum solubility of metal C in metal D at RT

75