Physical Metallurgy 1

General description:

The course provides knowledge necessary for understanding processes of thermal treatment, plastic treatment and mechanisms for hardening of materials with crystal structure. It also provides fundamentals of the theory of solid state physics and characteristics of bonds. Students understand the correlation between electron configuration of elements and allotropic modifications and intermetallic compounds. By learning crystal properties, diffusion of defects in the structure of metals, theory of hardening and phase transformations, students understand which physical and metallurgical factors can influence the microstructure and properties of metals and other materials with crystal structure.

Objectives and competences:

The course deals with the topic, which is the basis for understanding the processes of heat treatment, plastic deformation processing and mechanisms of hardening materials with crystal structures. Knowledge of crystal properties, diffusion of defects in the structure of metallic materials, theory of strengthening and phase transformation enables to understand factors which may have an influence on the microstructure and properties of metal and other materials with crystalline structure.

Knowledge and understanding:

To understand the topic of this course it is required prior knowledge of mathematics, physics and structure of materials. The purpose of this course is students to get familiar with the theory of physical metallurgy of metallic materials. Theoretical foundations are needed for further study and understanding the procedures and processes in the manufacture, processing and heat treatment of metal materials and products.

Content (Syllabus outline):

Constitution of metallic and non-metallic materials. Mixing of chemical elements. Gibbs phase rule. Alloy system, phase equilibrium and phase diagram. Lever rule. Phase diagram and crystallization from a melt. Equilibrium and non-equilibrium solidification. Segregation of alloying elements and the partitioning coefficient. Constitutional supercooling. Coring. The constitution of binary alloys and non-metallic systems. Two-phase equilibrium in binary system. Microstructure, physical and mechanical properties in binary isomorphous systems. Three-phase equilibrium in binary system. Eutectic system. Microstructure of hypoeutectic, eutectic and hipereutectic alloys. Precipitation process on solvus line. Eutectic system. Peritectic system. Al-Si alloy system, Cu-Sn and Cu-Zn alloy systems. Fe-Fe3C system and development of microstructure, transformation of austenite to bainite, transformation of austenite to martensite, Fe-C system. Ternary isomorphous and eutectic system and study of quasibinary eutectic in commercial Al-Si-Mg system. Mechanisms of plastic deformation of pure metal crystals, dislocation mechanism of plastic deformation of metallic crystals, deformation by twinning, deformation of polycrystalline aggregates and textures. Recovery and recrystallization, creep and creep mechanisms in metallic materials, Types of fracture of metallic materials, Griffith theory of brittle fracture, mechanisms of micro-crack formation, ductile-to-brittle fracture transition, fatigue, Fatigue limit. Electrical conductivity of metals and alloys. Magnetic properties of materials.

Learning and teaching methods:

The course is taught through lectures and tutorials.

Grading system:

(a) The report on lab work, which contributes to the final grade of 20%,

(b) examination, which contributes to the final grade 40%,

(c) oral examination, which contributes to the final grade of 40%.