PHASE DIAGRAMS

PHASE:
Phase is part of a material which is homogeneous
in chemical composion and crystal structure. Phases
are sometimes confused with states of matter, but
there are significant differences. States of matter
refers to the differences between gases, liquids,
solids, plasma.

PHASE DIAGRAM :
A phase diagram is a concise presentation of
thermodynamic data. It is an equilibrium map
showing the phases that will be in equilibrium as the
temperature and overall composition are varied. The
system may have one component (unary), two
components (binary) or three components (ternary).

1
 • UNARY

Phase
boundaries
Solid
phase
Pressure

Compressible Supercritical Fluid

liquid

Critical Critical
Pressure Point
Liquid
phase
22.06 MPa Triple
Point
Gasous Superheated Vapour
phase
Critical temperature
374 oC Temperature

Cooling Curves Multicomponenet systems

generally
. do not have a
single melting point, but
o
C o
C instead melt (or
alternately solidify) over a
range of temperatures
Time
S F S F Time

2
 • BINARY SYSTEMS
A binary phase diagram shows the phases formed
in differing mixtures of two components over a range
of temperatures. When three component are present
in an alloy, then a ternary diagram is used.

On the binary phase

diagram, compositions run
from 100% component A on
the left, through all possible
mixtures, to 100% o
C
component B on the right.
The composition of an alloy
is given in the form (x %B). 00 25 50 75 100
A %B B

0.0 50 100

0.0 50 100

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 There is more than one type of binary system. The
main difference being the solubility of the
components in each other – in the liquid and the solid
state.

I. ISOMORPHUS SYSTEMS:
The two components dissolve in each other in all
proportions in both liquid and solid state.
LIQUIDUS
Temperature

Start freezing
L+S
SOLIDUS
Finish freezing

COMPOSITION
100 %B 100
A B
.

Necessary Conditions : Similarity in

Crystal Atomic Valency

Structure Size

4
 Example : Cu-Ni

Cu
(1.28 Ǻ)

Ni
(1.24 Ǻ)

L+α

CL Co Cα

Total mass m0 = mL + mα (i)

m0C0 = mαCα + mLCL (ii)
mL = m0 - mα
m0C0 = mαCα + (m0 - mα) CL
m0C0 = mαCα + m0 CL - mα CL

5
 m0(C0 - CL) = mα(Cα – CL)
mα/ m0 = (C0 - CL)/( Cα – CL)
mL/ m0 = (Cα – C0)/( Cα – CL)

EUTECTIC SYSTEMS
At each end of the phase diagram only one of the
elements is present (100% A or 100% B) so a
specific melting point does exists. Additionally, there
is sometimes a mixture of the constituent elements
which produces melting at a single temperature like a
pure compound. This is called the eutectic point.

II) Complete Insolubility

Some elements have zero L
liquidus
solid solubility in other 
elements. An example is α
aluminum/silicon alloys, solidus
where aluminum has zero +
solid solubility in silicon.
A % B B

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III) Limited Solid Solubility

The Inverse Lever Rule

A tie line is an isothermal

(constant temperature) line
drawn through the alloy's
position on the phase diagram
when it is in a two phase field.
The points where the ends of
the tie line intersect the two
adjacent solubility curves

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indicate the compositions of the two phases that exist in
equilibrium at this temperature. In this example, the tie line
shows that the alpha phase is 5.2%B and the liquid phase is
34.5%B at this temperature.

1200 1200

1100 1100

1000 1000 liquid

900 900

800  800 
α α
700 700

600 600

500 500
0.0 20 40 60 80 100 0.0 20 40 60 80 100

1200

1100

1000 liquid
900

800 
α
700

600

500
0.0 20 40 60 80 100

EUTECTIC
Consider the eutectic alloy of elements A and B as it is
cooled from a temperature at location 1 to location 4 on the
phase diagram.

At location 1: Liquid only

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At location 2 : (α + ) pptate
At location 3 : Solidi’n complete
At location 4 : Solubility change

2
3
α


lamellar microstructure.

Hypoeutectic
At location 1: Liquid only
At location 2 : Nucleation (αp)
At location 3 : (L+αp)
At location 4 : (α+)lamellar

At location 5 : Solubility change

3 4
p
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Hypereutectic
At location 1: Liquid only
At location 2 : Nucleation (p)
At location 3 : (L+p)
At location 4 : (α+)lamellar

At location 5 : Solubility change

3 4
p

Maximum = Intermetallic Compound

LIQUID
L+ L+
SA2B SB

L+SA2B
L+SA
SB+SA2B

SA+SA2B
10

A2B
Complete Partial solubility
Insolubility between all solid
between all solid components
components

1350o
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
A2B A2B

Incongruent melting of
solid to (liquid+solid of
different composition),
given by ends of the line

Peritectic pt There is no maximum in the

L+ SB
liquid line to identify incon-
gruent melting. Instead it is
L L+ SA2B identified by a range of com-
+ SA positions where 2 melting
transitions are observed.

SA + SA2B SA2B +
11SB

A2B
 o
C 1538
░ L
1400 L+ 
1200  1148o L+Fe3
4.3 C
1000
912o  2.11
 + Fe3C
800 727o
░
600 0.022 0.77
400 + Fe3C
200
░
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 6.7
%C

1540o L
L+
1500o 1495o 0.53
0.09  + 
0.17
 L + 
1450 o

1400o


SOLID PHASE REACTIONS :

o
C

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1. EUTECTIC : L(C2) S1(C1) + S2(C3)
o
C
2. PERITECTIC : L(C3) + S1(C1) S2(C2)
o
C
3. EUTECTOID : S2(C2) S1(C1) + S3(C3)

4. PERITECTOID : S(C3) + S1(C1) o

C S2(C2)

LIQUID

 liquid  liquid

 2

3


5

1 2 3 4

13
 1

LIQUID
2

3
 liquid  liquid
 4 

5


1 2
1
3 4
LIQUID
2 p
3
 liquid  liquid
 4 

5


1 2 14 3 4
p
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