Fundamentals of Physical Metallurgy

General description:

Acquiring knowledge on physical aspects of metallurgy and physical-metallurgical factors to understand the structure and microstructure of metals and alloys; understanding the nature of solidification processes in metal-based materials in real conditions; transitions from liquid to solid and changes in the solid state; ability to use basic methods for performing metallographic analyses and ability to analyse and interpret microstructural constituents and defects in metals.

Objectives and competences:

Objectives: familiarization and understanding of the physical basics of metallurgy and physical and metallurgical factors, which provides a clear understanding of the constitution and microstructure of metals and alloys. Acquire the basics for understanding and learning about the nature of the processes of solidification in metallic materials in real terms in the transition liquid / solid and transformations in the solid state. Introducing the basic methods of metallographic analysis. Familiarization with the method and work within the project research work.

Competencies: the capacity to analyze and interpret the observed microstructural of constituents and error, and a general understanding of their impact on the properties of metallic materials.

Knowledge and understanding:

Basic structural types of metals, basic concepts of structure and microstructure. The influence of individual physical and metallurgical factors on the microstructure. Solid solution. The basic characteristics of solidification and alloying systems. Knowing connections interaction between microstructure and mechanical properties. In the study, and the study of the structure and microstructure of metallic materials, and linking this to the properties. Getting to know the foreign literature and ways to find it. Production of written reports and public presentations. Synthesis of the acquired knowledge in practical applications of materials and their manufacture. Knowledge of work in the project-research field.

Content (Syllabus outline):

Physical basis of metallography. Crystal structure of metallic materials. Crystal structures. Occupancy and interstitials. Allotropy and polymorphism. The geometry of the unit cell. Real structure of metallic materials and the concept of microstructure. Defects in the crystal lattice: point, line and surface. Hihg- and low-angle grain boundaries, boundary coherency, twin boundaries. The size, shape and orientation of the crystal grains. Solid solution. Criteria of solubility. Precipitation form solid solutions, oredring of solid solutions. Amorphous metallic materials. Thermally activated processes. Diffusion. Physical-metallurgical aspect of crystalization processes. Amorphous (non-crystalline) solidifaction. Solidification by crystallization. Basic thermodynamics of crystallization. Homogeneous and heterogeneous formation of nuclei. Modification and inoculation of metallic melts. The growth of the metal crystals. Mechanisms of growth. Real growth of crystals and crystallites. The growth by dislocations and growth by twins (TPRE- mechanism). Type of growth, and habitus of the crystals. Shape of growth. Uniaxial crystallization. Directional solidification. Characteristics of real crystallization. Physical-metallurgical basics of mechanical, magnetic and electrical properties of metals and alloys. Basic concepts of elastic deformation of metal crystals. Basic mechanisms of plastic deformation of crystals of pure metals. The critical shear stress for plastic deformation, sliding systems and Schmid factor. Dislocation mechanism of plastic deformation of crystals in fcc metals. Deformation by twinning. Twinning systems. The deformation of polycrystalline aggregates and textures. Methods of improvement of mechanical properties. The formation of preferred orientation or texture during the deformation of metal crystals. Recovery and recrystallization. Creep in metallic materials. Mechanisms of creep. Classification of fractures of metallic materials. Theoretical cohesion strength. Griffith theory of brittle fracture. Mechanisms of formation of microcracks. Transition from plastic to brittle fracture. Fatigue. Fatigue strength. The electrical conductivity of metals and alloys. Magnetic properties of materials. The behavior of magnetic materials in the external magnetic field. Importance and understanding of magnetic properties of materials and their modern use. Development of existing and new magnetic materials in connection with the green transition. Familiarity with project research work (domestic (ARRS) and European projects (Horizon, ERA, EIT,…)

Learning and teaching methods:

Lectures, seminars, research seminars, laboratory exercises, simulations, presentations, ICT teaching methods/online classrooms.

Grading system:

Written exam – 60 %.

Oral exam – 40 %.