Term End Examination - May 2013

Course

: MEE557

- Advanced Materials and Processing

Slot: E2

Class NBR : 1879

Time

Three Hours

Max.Marks:100

PART A (6 X 6 = 36 Marks)
Answer any SIX Questions
1.

a) A 25 cm long rod with a diameter of 2.5 mm is loaded with a 4500 N weight. If the

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diameter decreases to 2.2 mm, compute (i) final rod length (ii) true stress and true
strain at this load and (iii) engineering stress and strain at this load.
b) The fatigue limit of a plain carbon steel with 0.45 percent carbon is 300 MN/m2,

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when the mean stress is zero. The tensile strength of this steel is 750 MN/m .
Estimate the safe stress amplitude for this material when the mean stress is
250 MN/2.
2.

a) Why do materials deform even if they are designed to perform within the elastic

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limit?
b) What distinguishes a brittle solid from a ductile solid? Explain how you quantify

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ductility / brittleness, using stress-strain curves.

3.

a) Explain how medium carbon (0.4% C) Ni-Cr-Mo low alloy steel is superior to plain

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carbon steel containing 0.4% carbon with reference to heat-treatability and

mechanical properties.
b) What is TZM molybdenum? Show schematically how its high temperature

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performance compares with that of pure molybdenum. Account for the difference
in the performance.
4.

a) What grade of titanium would you recommend for a part, where strength is not
much of concern but manufacture of the part involves extensive forming? The part
is to operate at ambient temperature. Justify your answer.

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b) What are metal-matrix composites (MMCs)? Give examples of industrial

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applications of MMCs.
5.

a) Give examples of surface modification techniques where there is no change in the

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chemical composition of the surface.

b) How does the electrical conductivity of a metallic glass ZrCu compare with its

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crystalline counterpart? Account for the difference.

6.

a) Briefly explain why fracture strength of ceramic materials increases with decreasing

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specimen size.
b) Name two commonly used case hardening processes for steels involving change in

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the chemical composition of the surface layers. Compare them with respect to the
dopants used and process temperatures involved.
7.

a) Would you expect a crystalline ceramic material such as alumina to strain harden at

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room temperature? Justify your answer.

b) State the advantages and disadvantages of ceramic materials with reference to
mechanical behavior.
PART B (8 X 8 = 64 Marks)
Answer any EIGHT Questions
8.

Explain in detail the steps involved in heat treatment of precipitation hardenable

wrought aluminum alloy 2024.

9.

Explain, using relevant phase diagram, why a 0.2% carbon steel carburizes much more
easily at 1150K than Armco iron (iron with no carbon).

10.

Explain in detail the phenomenon of transformation toughening occurring in partially

stabilized zirconia.

11.

What are the different grades of cobalt-containing 18% Ni maraging steels

commercially available? Indicate the proof strength levels of each of these grades.
What is the element whose level steadily increases with increase in proof strength?
Explain how this element controls the proof strength of the steel.

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12.

The following data were obtained for an aluminum alloy. Show that the behavior of the
aluminum alloy is consistent with the HallPetch relationship; determine 0 and k for
the material.
Aluminum Alloy

13.

Grain size d (m)

Yield strength y (MN/m2)

42

223

16

225

11

225

8.5

226

5.0

231

3.1

238

Explain schematically how carbon is present in the microstructure of

White cast iron
Grey iron
Malleable iron
Nodular iron
Relate this to the % elongation obtained in a tensile test.

14.

Explain in detail how microalloying leads to achievement of high strengths.

15.

Four major microstructural features found in steels are ferrite, pearlite, lath martensite
and plate martensite, Heat treatment importantly influences the occurrence of these
features. Shown in the figure below in parts a, b, c and d respectively are these
features. Discuss in detail the different strengthening mechanisms operating in each
case.

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2m

10m
(a)

(c)

16.

100m (b)

100m

100m

(d)

a) Differentiate between DLC and diamond coating.

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b) Is Ti-15V-3Sn an

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Alpha
Near-alpha
Alpha+Beta
or Beta alloy?
Give basis for your answer.

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