CHAPTER 5: DIFFUSION

Why study diffusion?

Diffusion plays an important role in…
• Alloying
• Strengthening and heat treatment processes (Ch. 7)
• High temperature mechanical behavior (Ch. 8)
• Phase transformations (Ch. 10)
• Environmental degradation (Ch. 17)

Learning Objectives
After studying this chapter you should be able to do the following:
1. Name and describe the two atomic mechanisms of diffusion.
2. Distinguish between steady-state and nonsteady-state diffusion.
3. (a) Write Fick’s first and second laws in equation form, and define all parameters.
(b) Note the kind of diffusion for which each of these equations is normally pplied.
4. Write the solution to Fick’s second law for diffusion into a semi-infinite solid when
the concentration of diffusing species at the surface is held constant. Define all
parameters in this equation.
5. Calculate the diffusion coefficient for some material at a specified temperature,
given the appropriate diffusion constants.
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DIFFUSION DEMO
Glass tube filled with water.
• At time t = 0, add some drops of ink to one end
of the tube.
• Measure the diffusion distance, x, over some time.
• Compare the results with theory.

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 INTERDIFFUSION (IMPURITY DIFFUSION)
INITIAL AFTER SOME TIME

Heat blow melting

( Heat treatment)

There is a net drift or transport of atoms from high- to low-concentration regions.

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SELFDIFFUSION

This kind of diffusion occurs for pure metals, but all atoms exchanging positions are
of the same type.

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 DIFFUSION MECHANISMS
For an atom to move from lattice site to another, two conditions must be met:
1. There must be an empty adjacent site
2. The atom must have sufficient energy to break bonds with its neighbor atoms and
then cause some lattice distortion during the displacement.

Vacancy Diffusion

Interstitial Diffusion
This mechanism is found for
interdiffusion of impurities such as
hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen…

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STEADY STATE DIFFUSION

Diffusion Flux: rate of mass tranfer and defined as the mass (or, equivalently, the
number of atoms) M diffusing through and perpendicular to a unit cross-sectional area
of solid per unit of time.

A: area m2, t: time: s

J: Flux: kg/m2.s or atom/m2.s

. Flux can be measured for:

- vacancies
- host atoms
- impurity atoms

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STEADY STATE DIFFUSION: the diffusion flux does not change with time
Steady-state diffusion described by Fick's First Law:
D: diffusion coefficient (m2/s)

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 NONS STEADY Y STATE E DIFFUSION
The diffusion
d flux andd the conccentration
n gradien
n vary witth time.
Fick’s second laaw: If D is inddependen nt to compposition:

One practical
p ly importtant soluttion is for a semi-infinite solid
s in which
w the surface
conceentration is held cconstant.
ERRROR FUN NCTION N:

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11 9

Example Promblem:
Consider one such alloy that initially has a uniform
carbon concentration of 0.25 wt% and is to be treated at
950 C (1750 F). If the concentration of carbon at the
surface is suddenly brought to and maintained at 1.20
wt%, how long will it take to achieve a carbon content
of 0.80 wt% at a position 0.5 mm below the surface?
The diffusion coefficient for carbon in iron at this
temperature is 1.6x 10-11 m2/s; assume that the steel piece is semi-infinite.
Solution: Table 5.1

Interpolate:

Æ
Or

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Example problem:
Copper diffuses into a bar of aluminum.

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FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE DIFFUSION

Diffusing Species:

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DIFFUSION AND TEMPERATURE:

Take natural logarithms:

Reciprocal Temperature
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PROCESSING USING DIFFUSION

SINTERING OF CERAMICS

(a) After pressing. (b)Sintering begins. (c) As sintering proceeds,

the pores change size and shape

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