Assignment in Materials Engineering

Dibon John H. Seron

BSME – IV

Allotropes
Allotropes are the elements which exist in two or more different forms in the same physical state. They differ in
physical properties and may also differ in chemical activity. Different bonding arrangements between atoms
result in different structures with different chemical and physical properties.

Allotropes of Oxygen

Oxygen is a very reactive element and it doesn't exist in singular atom form. Oxygen will bond to almost
any other element, and if there aren't any other elements around, it will bond to another oxygen atom.
This gives us the allotrope of oxygen we breathe, which is O2.

 Dioxygen - O2 is the most common allotrope of oxygen that exists. It is an invisible gas and is just
over 20% of the gases in Earth's atmosphere. The two oxygen atoms share four electrons and each
has two lone pairs of electrons. Diagram 1 shows the Lewis structure of O2.

 Ozone is a molecule consisting of three bonded oxygen atoms and is slightly blue in color.
Depending where it is in the atmosphere it is either natural or a pollutant. The stratosphere is a
layer of Earth's atmosphere, which is roughly from 10 kilometers to 50 kilometers from Earth's
surface. The stratosphere contains the ozone layer. O2 in the upper atmosphere absorbs
ultraviolet light from the sun, which breaks the double bond between the two oxygen atoms.
Since oxygen is such a reactive element it reacts with O2 to form O3, which is ozone. Three O2
molecules are needed to create two ozone molecules. The chemical reaction is: 3O2 + UV light
→ 2O3
 Allotropes of Iron

Iron is used to make steel, cast iron pots, tools, and many other things all around you. Iron can be used in
so many different applications by using its different allotropes.

 Alpha iron is a body-centered cubic allotrope that forms when molten iron is cooled to 912°C. It
is only able to dissolve small concentrations of carbon. Since steel is an iron-carbon alloy, then
steel that is made from alpha-iron is a low-carbon steel. This type of steel is ductile (the shape can
be manipulated) and is used in wires. Alpha iron contains the highest volume and is the least
dense of the three atmospheric allotropes.

 Gamma iron is a face-centered cubic allotrope that forms when molten iron is cooled to 1394°C.
This form has the lowest volume and is the densest. Steel was probably made accidentally at
first, with carbon coming from the coals in the fire used to melt the iron. Today we are able to
control how much carbon is dissolved in the iron, changing the strength and ductility of steel.
Gamma iron can dissolve the highest amount of carbon, thus forming the high-carbon steels and
cast iron.

Allotropes of Carbon
 Diamond, graphite and fullerenes are three allotropes of the element carbon. Graphite is a soft,
black, slippery substance; by contrast, diamond is one of the hardest substances known.
Diamonds typically crystallize in the cubic crystal system and consist of tetrahedrally bonded
carbon atoms. Graphite crystallizes in the hexagonal system. In the fullerenes, the carbon atoms
taking the form of a hollow sphere, ellipsoid, or tube.