Module Overview

The module provides a systematic overview of the major principles of physical metallurgy. Students successfully completing the module will have a critical awareness of how these principles relate to current issues in exploiting structural alloys in engineering applications.

Module Aims

This module aims to explore:

• The centrality of the concepts of thermodynamics and kinetics in physical metallurgy and phase transformations.
• Binary equilibrium phase diagrams as a tool in understanding the thermodynamics of alloy systems.
• The use of transformation (isothermal and continuous cooling) diagrams as a tool in following (i) the kinetics of phase transformations and (ii) the development of alloy microstructure.
• The role of diffusion in the kinetics of phase transformations.
• The principles of thermodynamics and kinetics, and their application, to a representative selection of real alloy systems.
• The nature of defects in metallic systems and their role in determining engineering properties.
• The concept of microstructure and its relationship to processing and properties of alloys.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the module, students should be able to

• Show a systematic understanding of the role that thermodynamics and kinetics play in phase transformations.
• Evaluate critically the relevance of phase diagrams, isothermal transformation diagrams and continuous cooling transformation diagrams to understanding real alloys and their microstructure.
• Display a critical awareness of the relevance of key areas, e.g. diffusion, defects, transformation type, to current problems in designing, processing and exploiting real alloys.
• Show a systematic understanding of the complex interplay between microstructure, processing and engineering properties in metallic materials.

Module Content

• The thermodynamic basis of phase diagrams.
• Binary equilbrium phase diagrams and their use in predicting alloy constitution and microstructure.
• Isothermal and continuous cooling transformation diagrams and their use in predicting microstructure.
• Characterisation of microstructures.
• Solid-state diffusion.
• The liquid to solid transformation.
• Precipitation in the solid state.
• The classification of phase transformations as diffusional and displacive.
• The pearlitic, bainitic and martensitic transformations.
• A case study of a non-ferrous metal and its alloys.
• A case study of a family of steels.
• Microstructure, processing and property relationships (with an emphasis on ambient temperature strengthening mechanisms).
• Point, line and planar lattice defects.
• Micro and macro defects.
• Cold work, recovery, recrystallisation and grain growth.
• The role of dislocations in strengthening mechanisms.

Required reading
A textbook is supplied along with extensive course notes.

The books is:

Course Director

The Course Director is Dr Mark Whiting