Homework exercises-8

Phase diagrams
Solubility Limit

1. Consider the sugar–water phase diagram of Figure 10.1.

(a) How much sugar will dissolve in 1500 g of water at 90°C (194°F)?
(b) If the saturated liquid solution in part (a) is cooled to 20°C (68°F), some of the sugar will
precipitate out as a solid. What will be the composition of the saturated liquid solution (in wt
% sugar) at 20°C?
(c) How much of the solid sugar will come out of solution upon cooling to 20°C?
 One-Component (or Unary) Phase Diagrams

2. At 500°C (930°F), what is the maximum solubility (a) of Cu in Ag? (b) Of Ag in Cu?

Solubility is a chemical property which can be defined as the amount of a

substance which is generally called as "solute" that can be dissolved in a unit
volume of liquid substance called "Solvent" to form a saturated solution under
specified conditions.

3. RAKAMLAR FARKLI
Consider a specimen of ice that is at 210°C and 1 atm pressure. Using Figure 10.2, the
pressure– temperature phase diagram for H2O, determine the pressure to which the specimen
must be raised or lowered to cause it (a) to melt and (b) to sublime.
4. At a pressure of 0.01 atm, determine (a) the melting temperature for ice and (b) the boiling
temperature for water.

(a) The melting temperature for ice depends on the pressure

applied. At a pressure of 0.01 atm, the melting temperature for
ice is approximately -25 degrees Celsius or -13 degrees
Fahrenheit. This temperature is commonly referred to as the
normal melting point of ice at atmospheric pressure. To
understand why pressure affects the melting temperature of ice,
let's consider the phase diagram of water. At higher pressures,
the melting temperature of ice decreases. This is because
pressure suppresses the tendency of water molecules to form a
crystalline structure, which is the solid phase of ice. Therefore,
at lower pressures, such as 0.01 atm, the melting temperature
increases compared to the normal melting point of ice at
atmospheric pressure (0.1 atm). (b) Similarly, the boiling
temperature for water is also influenced by the pressure
applied. At a pressure of 0.01 atm, the boiling temperature for
water is approximately 0 degrees Celsius or 32 degrees
Fahrenheit. This temperature is known as the normal boiling
point of water at atmospheric pressure. When pressure
decreases, like in the case of 0.01 atm, the boiling temperature
of water decreases as well. This is because lower pressure
reduces the energy required for water molecules to escape into
the gas phase, resulting in a lower boiling temperature. It's
important to note that the boiling and melting temperatures of
substances can vary depending on the pressure, and the values
provided here are approximations based on commonly observed
conditions.
 Binary Isomorphous Systems
5. Given here are the solidus and liquidus temperatures for the germanium–
silicon system. Construct the phase diagram for this system and label each
region.

Q1)

On plotting the given data we find

The following curve is obtained.

As Mentioned in the curve

The elements are completely soluble in both solid and liquid phases. With
region as labeled in the diagram.

There is a range of melting temperatures in the mixture of Elements as can

be seen in the Mushy Zone.

The phase above liquidus line is liquid.

The phase below solidus is solid.

Q2)

The melting point of pure Silicon will be the Melting temperature at 100% Si
i.e. 1414oC.
The melting point of pure Germanium will be the Melting temperature
at 100% Ge i.e. 938oC.

Interpretation of Phase Diagrams

6. Cite the phases that are present and the phase compositions for the
following alloys:
a)90 wt% Zn–10 wt% Cu at 400°C (750°F)
b)75 wt% Sn–25 wt% Pb at 175°C (345°F)
c)55 wt% Ag–45 wt% Cu at 900°C (1650°F)
d)30 wt% Pb–70 wt% Mg at 425°C (795°F)
 e)2.12 kg Zn and 1.88 kg Cu at 500°C (930°F)
f)37 lbm Pb and 6.5 lbm Mg at 400°C (750°F)

8.2 mol Ni and 4.3 mol Cu at 1250°C (2280°F)

4.5 mol Sn and 0.45 mol Pb at 200°C (390°F)
7. Is it possible to have a copper–nickel alloy that, at equilibrium, consists of a liquid phase
of composition 20 wt% Ni–80 wt% Cu and also an α phase of composition 37 wt% Ni–
63 wt% Cu? If so, what will be the approximate temperature of the alloy? If this is not
possible, explain why.

8. Is it possible to have a copper–zinc alloy that, at equilibrium, consists of an α phase of

composition 80 wt% Zn–20 wt% Cu and also a liquid phase of composition 95 wt% Zn–
5 wt% Cu? If so, what will be the approximate temperature of the alloy? If this is not
possible, explain why.
9. A copper–nickel alloy of composition 70 wt% Ni–30 wt% Cu is slowly heated from a
temperature of 1300°C (2370°F).
(a) At what temperature does the first liquid phase form?
(b) What is the composition of this liquid phase?
(c) At what temperature does complete melting of the alloy occur?
(d) What is the composition of the last solid remaining prior to complete melting?

10. A 50 wt% Pb–50 wt% Mg alloy is slowly cooled from 700°C (1290°F) to 400°C (750°F).
(a) At what temperature does the first solid phase form?
(b) What is the composition of this solid phase?
(c) At what temperature does the liquid solidify?
(d) What is the composition of this last remaining liquid phase?

11. For an alloy of composition 74 wt% Zn–26 wt% Cu, cite the phases present and their
compositions at the following temperatures: 850°C, 750°C, 680°C, 600°C, and 500°C.

12. Determine the relative amounts (in terms of mass fractions) of the phases for the alloys and
temperatures given in Problem 6.

13. A 1.5-kg specimen of a 90 wt% Pb–10 wt% Sn alloy is heated to 250°C (480°F); at this
temperature it is entirely an α-phase solid solution (Figure 10.8). The alloy is to be melted to
the extent that 50% of the specimen is liquid, the remainder being the α phase. This may be
accomplished either by heating the alloy or changing its composition while holding the
temperature constant.
(a) To what temperature must the specimen be heated?
(b) How much tin must be added to the 1.5-kg specimen at 250°C to achieve this state?
14. A magnesium–lead alloy of mass 5.5 kg consists of a solid α phase that has a composition
just slightly below the solubility limit at 200°C (390°F).
(a) What mass of lead is in the alloy?
(b) If the alloy is heated to 350°C (660°F), how much more lead may be dissolved in the α
phase without exceeding the solubility limit of this phase?

15. A 90 wt% Ag–10 wt% Cu alloy is heated to a temperature within the β + liquid phase
region. If the composition of the liquid phase is 85 wt% Ag, determine:
(a) The temperature of the alloy
(b) The composition of the β phase
(c) The mass fractions of both phases

16. A 30 wt% Sn–70 wt% Pb alloy is heated to a temperature within the α + liquid phase region.
If the mass fraction of each phase is 0.5, estimate:
(a) The temperature of the alloy
(b) The compositions of the two phases

17. For alloys of two hypothetical metals A and B, there exist an α, A-rich phase and a β, B-rich
phase. From the mass fractions of both phases for two different alloys provided in the
following table (which are at the same temperature), determine the composition of the phase
boundary (or solubility limit) for both α and β phases at this temperature.
18. A hypothetical A–B alloy of composition 55 wt% B–45 wt% A at some temperature is found
to consist of mass fractions of 0.5 for both α and β phases. If the composition of the β phase
is 90 wt% B–10 wt% A, what is the composition of the α phase?

19. Is it possible to have a copper–silver alloy of composition 50 wt% Ag–50 wt% Cu that, at
equilibrium, consists of α and β phases having mass fractions Wα = 0.60 and Wβ = 0.40?
If so, what will be the approximate temperature of the alloy? If such an alloy is not
possible, explain why.

20. For 11.20 kg of a magnesium–lead alloy of composition 30 wt% Pb–70 wt% Mg, is it
possible, at equilibrium, to have α and Mg2Pb phases having respective masses of 7.39 and
3.81 kg? If so, what will be the approximate temperature of the alloy? If such an alloy is not
possible, explain why.

21. Determine the relative amounts (in terms of volume fractions) of the phases for the alloys
and temperatures given in Problem 10.8, parts a to c. The following table gives the
approximate densities of the various metals at the alloy temperatures:

Mechanical Properties of Isomorphous Alloys

22. It is desirable to produce a copper–nickel alloy that has a minimum non–cold-worked tensile
strength of 350 MPa (50,750 psi) and a ductility of at least 48%EL. Is such an alloy
possible? If so, what must be its composition? If this is not possible, then explain why.

Binary Eutectic Systems

23. A 45 wt% Pb–55 wt% Mg alloy is rapidly quenched to room temperature from an elevated
temperature in such a way that the high-temperature microstructure is preserved. This
microstructure is found to consist of the α phase and Mg2Pb, having respective mass
fractions of 0.65 and 0.35. Determine the approximate temperature from which the alloy was
quenched.
 Development of Microstructure in Eutectic Alloys

24. Is it possible to have a copper–silver alloy in which the mass fractions of primary β and total
β are 0.68 and 0.925, respectively, at 775°C (1425°F)? Why or why not?

25. For 6.70 kg of a magnesium–lead alloy, is it possible to have the masses of primary α and total
α of 4.23 and 6.00 kg, respectively, at 460°C (860°F)? Why or why not?

26. For a copper–silver alloy of composition 25 wt% Ag–75 wt% Cu and at 775°C (1425°F),
do the following:
(a) Determine the mass fractions of the α and β phases.
(b) Determine the mass fractions of primary α and eutectic microconstituents.
(c) Determine the mass fraction of eutectic α.

27. The microstructure of a lead–tin alloy at 180°C (355°F) consists of primary β and eutectic
structures. If the mass fractions of these two microconstituents are 0.57 and 0.43,
respectively, determine the composition of the alloy.

28. Consider a hypothetical eutectic phase diagram for metals A and B that is similar to that for
the lead–tin system, Figure 10.8. Assume that (1) α and β phases exist at the A and B
extremes of the phase diagram, respectively; (2) the eutectic composition is 47 wt% B–53 wt
% A; and
(3) the composition of the β phase at the eutectic temperature is 92.6 wt% B–7.4 wt% A.
Determine the composition of an alloy that will yield primary α and total α mass fractions of
0.356 and 0.693, respectively.

29. For an 85 wt% Pb–15 wt% Mg alloy, make schematic sketches of the microstructure that
would be observed for conditions of very slow cooling at the following temperatures: 600°C
(1110°F), 500°C (930°F), 270°C (520°F), and 200°C (390°F). Label all phases and indicate
their approximate compositions.

30. For a 68 wt% Zn–32 wt% Cu alloy, make schematic sketches of the microstructure that
would be observed for conditions of very slow cooling at the following temperatures:
1000°C (1830°F), 760°C (1400°F), 600°C (1110°F), and 400°C (750°F). Label all phases and
indicate their approximate compositions.

31. For a 30 wt% Zn–70 wt% Cu alloy, make schematic sketches of the microstructure that
would be observed for conditions of very slow cooling at the following temperatures:
1100°C (2010°F), 950°C (1740°F), 900°C (1650°F), and 700°C (1290°F). Label all phases
and indicate their approximate compositions.

32. On the basis of the photomicrograph (i.e., the relative amounts of the microconstituents) for
the lead–tin alloy shown in Figure 10.17 and the Pb–Sn phase diagram (Figure 10.8),
estimate the composition of the alloy, and then compare this estimate with the composition
given in the legend of Figure 10.17. Make the following assumptions: (1) The area fraction
of each phase
 and microconstituent in the photomicrograph is equal to its volume fraction; (2) the densities
of the α and β phases and the eutectic structure are 11.2, 7.3, and 8.7 g/cm3, respectively;
and
(3) this photomicrograph represents the equilibrium microstructure at 180°C (355°F).

33. The room-temperature tensile strengths of pure lead and pure tin are 16.8 and 14.5 MPa,
respectively.
(a) Make a schematic graph of the room-temperature tensile strength versus composition for
all compositions between pure lead and pure tin.
(b) On this same graph schematically plot tensile strength versus composition at 150°C.
(c) Explain the shapes of these two curves, as well as any differences between them.

34. Figure 10.40 is the aluminum–neodymium phase diagram, for which only single–phase
regions are labeled. Specify temperature–composition points at which all eutectics,
eutectoids, peritectics, and congruent phase transformations occur. Also, for each, write the
reaction upon cooling.
35. Figure 10.41 is a portion of the titanium–copper phase diagram for which only single-phase
regions are labeled. Specify all temperature–composition points at which eutectics,
eutectoids, peritectics, and congruent phase transformations occur. Also, for each, write the
reaction upon cooling.

36. Construct the hypothetical phase diagram for metals A and B between temperatures of 600°C
and 1000°C given the following information:
• The melting temperature of metal A is 940°C.
• The solubility of B in A is negligible at all temperatures.
• The melting temperature of metal B is 830°C.
• The maximum solubility of A in B is 12 wt% A, which occurs at 700°C.
• At 600C, the solubility of A in B is 8 wt% A.
• One eutectic occurs at 700C and 75 wt% B– 25 wt% A.
• A second eutectic occurs at 730C and 60 wt% B– 40 wt% A.
• A third eutectic occurs at 755C and 40 wt% B–60 wt% A.
• One congruent melting point occurs at 780°C and 51 wt% B–49 wt% A.
 • A second congruent melting point occurs at 755°C and 67 wt% B–33 wt% A.
• The intermetallic compound AB exists at 51 wt% B–49 wt% A.
• The intermetallic compound AB2 exists at 67 wt% B–33 wt% A.

Ceramic Phase Diagrams

37. For the ZrO2–CaO system (Figure 10.25), write all eutectic and eutectoid reactions
for cooling.

38. From Figure 10.24—the phase diagram for the MgO–Al2O3 system—it may be noted that the
spinel solid solution exists over a range of compositions, which means that it is
nonstoichiometric at compositions other than 50 mol% MgO–50 mol% Al2O3.
 (a) The maximum nonstoichiometry on the Al2O3-rich side of the spinel phase field exists at
about 2000°C (3630°F), corresponding to approximately 82 mol% (92 wt%) Al2O3.
Determine the type of vacancy defect that is produced and the percentage of vacancies that
exist at this composition.
(b) The maximum nonstoichiometry on the MgO-rich side of the spinel phase field exists at
about 2000°C (3630°F), corresponding to approximately 39 mol% (62 wt%) Al2O3.
Determine the type of vacancy defect that is produced and the percentage of vacancies that
exist at this composition.

39. When kaolinite clay [Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4] is heated to a sufficiently high temperature,

chemical water is driven off.
(a) Under these circumstances, what is the composition of the remaining product (in weight
percent Al2O3)?
(b) What are the liquidus and solidus temperatures of this material?

The Gibbs Phase Rule

40. Figure 10.42 shows the pressure–temperature phase diagram for H2O. Apply the Gibbs phase
rule at points A, B, and C, and specify the number of degrees of freedom at each of the
points, that is, the number of externally controllable variables that need be specified to
completely define the system.
 The Iron–Iron Carbide (Fe–Fe3C) Phase Diagram
Development of Microstructure in Iron–Carbon Alloys

41. (a) What is the distinction between hypoeutectoid and hypereutectoid steels?
(b) In a hypoeutectoid steel, both eutectoid and proeutectoid ferrite exist. Explain the
difference between them. What will be the carbon concentration in each?

42. What is the carbon concentration of an iron–carbon alloy for which the fraction of total
ferrite is 0.94?

43. What is the proeutectoid phase for an iron–carbon alloy in which the mass fractions of total
ferrite and total cementite are 0.92 and 0.08, respectively? Why?

44. Consider 1.0 kg of austenite containing 1.15 wt% C and cooled to below 727°C (1341°F).
(a) What is the proeutectoid phase?
(b) How many kilograms each of total ferrite and cementite form?
(c) How many kilograms each of pearlite and the proeutectoid phase form?
(d) Schematically sketch and label the resulting microstructure.

45. Consider 2.5 kg of austenite containing 0.65 wt% C and cooled to below 727°C (1341°F).
(a) What is the proeutectoid phase?
(b) How many kilograms each of total ferrite and cementite form?
(c) How many kilograms each of pearlite and the proeutectoid phase form?
(d) Schematically sketch and label the resulting microstructure.

46. Compute the mass fractions of proeutectoid ferrite and pearlite that form in an iron–carbon
alloy containing 0.25 wt% C.
47. The microstructure of an iron–carbon alloy consists of proeutectoid ferrite and pearlite; the
mass fractions of these two microconstituents are 0.286 and 0.714, respectively. Determine
the concentration of carbon in this alloy.

48. The mass fractions of total ferrite and total cementite in an iron–carbon alloy are 0.88 and
0.12, respectively. Is this a hypoeutectoid or hypereutectoid alloy? Why?

49. The microstructure of an iron–carbon alloy consists of proeutectoid ferrite and pearlite; the
mass fractions of these microconstituents are 0.20 and 0.80, respectively. Determine the
concentration of carbon in this alloy.

50. Consider 2.0 kg of a 99.6 wt% Fe–0.4 wt% C alloy that is cooled to a temperature just
below the eutectoid.
(a) How many kilograms of proeutectoid ferrite form?
(b) How many kilograms of eutectoid ferrite form?
(c) How many kilograms of cementite form?

51. Compute the maximum mass fraction of proeutectoid cementite possible for a
hypereutectoid iron–carbon alloy.

52. Is it possible to have an iron–carbon alloy for which the mass fractions of total ferrite and
proeutectoid cementite are 0.846 and 0.049, respectively? Why or why not?

53. Is it possible to have an iron–carbon alloy for which the mass fractions of total cementite and
pearlite are 0.039 and 0.417, respectively? Why or why not?

54. Compute the mass fraction of eutectoid ferrite in an iron–carbon alloy that contains 0.43 wt
% C.

55. The mass fraction of eutectoid cementite in an iron–carbon alloy is 0.104. On the basis of
this information, is it possible to determine the composition of the alloy? If so, what is its
composition? If this is not possible, explain why.

56. The mass fraction of eutectoid ferrite in an iron–carbon alloy is 0.82. On the basis of this
information, is it possible to determine the composition of the alloy? If so, what is its
composition? If this is not possible, explain why.

57. For an iron–carbon alloy of composition 5 wt% C–95 wt% Fe, make schematic sketches of
the microstructure that would be observed for conditions of very slow cooling at the
following temper-GO atures: 1175°C (2150°F), 1145°C (2095°F), and 700°C (1290°F). Label
the phases and indicate their compositions (approximate).

The Influence of Other Alloying Elements

58. A steel alloy contains 97.5 wt% Fe, 2.0 wt% Mo, and 0.5 wt% C.
 (a) What is the eutectoid temperature of this alloy?
(b) What is the eutectoid composition?
(c) What is the proeutectoid phase?
Assume that there are no changes in the positions of other phase boundaries with the addition
of Mo.

59. A steel alloy is known to contain 93.8 wt% Fe, 6.0 wt% Ni, and 0.2 wt% C.
(a) What is the approximate eutectoid temperature of this alloy?
(b) What is the proeutectoid phase when this alloy is cooled to a temperature just below the
eutectoid?
(c) Compute the relative amounts of the proeutectoid phase and pearlite.
Assume that there are no alterations in the positions of other phase boundaries with the
addition of Ni.

60. Often, the properties of multiphase alloys may be approximated by the relationship

where E represents a specific property (modulus of elasticity, hardness, etc.), and V is the
volume fraction. The subscripts α and β denote the existing phases or microconstituents.
Employ this relationship to determine the approximate Brinell hardness of a 99.80 wt% Fe–
0.20 wt% C alloy. Assume Brinell hardnesses of 80 and 280 for ferrite and pearlite,
respectively, and that volume fractions may be approximated by mass fractions.