Phase Diagrams

Phase: A homogeneous portion of a system that have uniform

physical and chemical characteristics.

Single phase

Two
phases

For example at 20 oC the maximum solubility of sugar in water is

65wt%, note that the solubility limit increases with rising
temperature.
 COMPONENTS AND PHASES
• Components:
The elements or compounds which are mixed initially
(e.g., Al and Cu)
• Phases:
The physically and chemically distinct material regions
that result (e.g., α and β).

Aluminum- β (lighter
Copper
phase)
Alloy

α (darker
phase)
Adapted from
Fig. 9.0,
Callister 3e.
Equilibrium phase diagrams represent the relationship between
temperature and the compositions and the quantities of phases
present at equilibrium. It can be considered as a map that determine
the phases depending on composition and temperature.

Temperature
Map of
phases
present
10 20
100% A B 100%
Wt% of B
Solid solution: It exist when different atoms take part in
building a crystal lattice (single phase).
Type of solid solutions:
A. Substitutional solid solution
B. Interstitial soild soltion
In both cases solute atoms completely dissolve (no limit to
solubility) in the host metal forming a single phase.
Cooling curve of pure metals

L
Temperature
Tm
S

Time
Pure metals

Pure metals solidifies at a constant temperature which is

known as the melting temperature
Cooling curve of binary alloys:
Range of
solidification
temperature
L L

Temperature
Temperature

Ts Ts L+S
L+S
Tf Tf
S
S

Time Time
Binary alloys Binary alloys

Binary alloys solidifies over a range of

temperatures.
Solid solution phase diagram:
How to construct
a phase diagram
from cooling Melting
curves? temp. of
Ni
Draw the cooling
curves of
different
composition
alloys, the upper Solid
inflection point solution
form a loci for phase
the liquidus line,
the lower
inflection point Melting temp.
form a loci for of Cu
the solidus line.
 Some notes about the phase diagram:

•The liquid L is a homogeneous liquid solution of both copper

and nickel.
•The α phase is a substitutional solid solution consisting of both
copper and nickel atoms, and having FCC crystal structure.
•Below 1080 C there is complete solubility between copper and
nickel (same crystal structure FCC, nearly equal atomic radii,
and electronegativity and similar valency).
•Melting temperatures for pure nickel is 1085 C and for pure
nickel is 1453C.
•Copper nickel system is termed isomorphous because of this
complete liquid and solid solubility.
•For each particular composition and temperature the number
and type of phases can be pointed out.
 PHASE DIAGRAMS: number and types of phases
• Rule 1: If we know T and Co, then we know:
--the # and types of phases present.

T(°C)
• Examples: 1600
A(1100, 60):
1500 L (liquid)
1 phase: α us Cu-Ni

B(1250,35)
u id
B(1250, 35): 1400 liq us phase
li d
2 phases: L + α so diagram
1300 + α α
L (FCC solid
1200 solution)
Adapted from Fig. 9.2(a), Callister 6e.
(Fig. 9.2(a) is adapted from Phase 1100 A(1100,60)
Diagrams of Binary Nickel Alloys, P.
Nash (Ed.), ASM International,
1000
Materials Park, OH, 1991).
0 20 40 60 80 100 wt% Ni
 PHASE DIAGRAMS: composition of phases
a. Construct a tie line across the two phase region
b. Intersection of the tie line and the phase boundaries on
either sides are noted.
c. Perpendiculars are dropped from these intersection to
the horizontal composition axis

For an alloy of
composition 35%Ni,
65%Cu, determine the
phase composition at
1250 C

Cα
If only one phase is present, for example a composition of 60% Ni-
40 %Cu at 1100C (point A), only the α phase is present. The
composition of this phase is the same as the composition of the
alloy, which mean that the composition of α is 60% Ni-40 %Cu .