1

A 17 wt% Ag-83 wt% Cu alloy is heated at 7750C. Determine the following.

(a) The mass fractions of and phases.
(b) The mass fractions of primary and eutectic microconstituents.
(c) The mass fraction of eutectic .

Solution
(a) This portion of the problem asks that we determine the mass fractions of and phases for an 17 wt%
Ag-83 wt% Cu alloy (at 775C). In order to do this it is necessary to employ the lever rule using a tie line that
extends entirely across the + phase field. From Figure 9.7 and at 775C, C = 8.0 wt% Ag, C = 91.2 wt% Ag,
and Ceutectic = 71.9 wt% Sn. Therefore, the two lever-rule expressions are as follows:

W =

W =

C C0
C C

91.2 17
=0.892
91.2 8.0

C0 C 17 8.0
=
= 0.108
C C 91 .2 8.0

(b) Now it is necessary to determine the mass fractions of primary and eutectic microconstituents for this
same alloy. This requires us to utilize the lever rule and a tie line that extends from the maximum solubility of Ag in
the phase at 775C (i.e., 8.0 wt% Ag) to the eutectic composition (71.9 wt% Ag). Thus

W =

We =

Ceutectic C0 71 .9 17
=
= 0.859
Ceutectic C 71 .9 8.0

C0 C
17 8.0
=
= 0.141
Ceutectic C 71 .9 8.0

(c) And, finally, we are asked to compute the mass fraction of eutectic , We. This quantity is simply the
difference between the mass fractions of total and primary as
We = W W' = 0.892 0.859 = 0.033

2. Consider 2.5 kg of austenite containing 97.99 wt% Fe -2.01 wt% C, cooled at a temperature
just below the eutectoid, determine the following.
(a) What is the proeutectoid phase?
(b) How many kilograms each of total ferrite and cementite form?
(c) How many kilograms each of pearlite and the proeutectoid phase form?
(d) Schematically sketch and label the resulting microstructure.
Solution
(a) The proeutectoid phase will be Fe3C since 2.01 wt% C is greater than the eutectoid composition (0.76
wt% C).
(b) For this portion of the problem, we are asked to determine how much total ferrite and cementite form.
Application of the appropriate lever rule expression yields

W =

CFe3C C0
CFe3C C

6.70 2.01
= 0.702
6.70 0.022

which, when multiplied by the total mass of the alloy (2.5kg), gives 1.75 kg of total ferrite.
Similarly, for total cementite,

WFe3C =

C0 C 2.01 0.022
=
=0.298
CFe3C C 6.70 0.022

And the mass of total cementite that forms is (0.298)(2.5 kg) = 0.744 kg.
(c) Now we are asked to calculate how much pearlite and the proeutectoid phase (cementite) form.
Applying Equation 9.22, in which C1' = 2.01 wt% C

Wp =

6.70 C 1 6.70 2.01

=
=0.789
6.70 0.76 6.70 0.76

which corresponds to a mass of 1.97 kg. Likewise, from Equation 9.23

WFe3C =

C1 0.76 2.01 0.76

=
= 0.21
5.94
5.94

which is equivalent to 0.526 kg of the total 2.5 kg mass.

(d) Schematically, the microstructure would appear as:

3 Figure 10.22 is the isothermal transformation diagram for an ironcarbon alloy of eutectoid
composition , specify the nature of the final microstructure (in terms of microconstituents present
and approximate percentages of each) of a small specimen that has been subjected to the
following timetemperature treatments. In each case assume that the specimen begins at 760C
(1400F) and that it has been held at this temperature long enough to have achieved a complete
and homogeneous austenitic structure.
(a) Cool rapidly to 700C (1290F), hold for 104 s, then quench to room temperature.
(b) Rapidly cool to 600C (1110F), hold for 4 s, rapidly cool to 450C (840F), hold for
10 s, then quench to room temperature.
(c) Cool rapidly to 400C (750F), hold for 8 s, then quench to room temperature.
(d) Cool rapidly to 400C (750F), hold for 200 s, then quench to room temperature.
(e) Rapidly cool to 575C (1065F), hold for 20 s, rapidly cool to 350C (660F), hold
for 100 s, then quench to room temperature.
(a) Cool rapidly to 700C (1290F), hold for 10 4 s, then quench to room temperature.
Solution
Below is Figure 10.22 upon which is superimposed the above heat treatment.

After cooling and holding at 700C for 104 s, approximately 50% of the specimen has transformed to
coarse pearlite. Upon cooling to room temperature, the remaining 50% transforms to martensite. Hence, the final
microstructure consists of about 50% coarse pearlite and 50% martensite.

(b) Rapidly cool to 600C (1110F), hold for 4 s, rapidly cool to 450C (840F), hold for 10 s,
then quench to room temperature.
Solution
Below is Figure 10.22 upon which is superimposed the above heat treatment.

After cooling to and holding at 600C for 4 s, approximately 50% of the specimen has transformed to
pearlite (medium). During the rapid cooling to 450C no transformations occur. At 450C we start timing again at
zero time; while holding at 450C for 10 s, approximately 50 percent of the remaining unreacted 50% (or 25% of
the original specimen) will transform to bainite. And upon cooling to room temperature, the remaining 25% of the
original specimen transforms to martensite.

Hence, the final microstructure consists of about 50% pearlite

(medium), 25% bainite, and 25% martensite.

(c) Cool rapidly to 400C (750F), hold for 8 s, then quench to room temperature.
Solution
Below is Figure 10.22 upon which is superimposed the above heat treatment.

After cooling to and holding at 400C for 8 s, no of the transformation begin lines have been crossed, and
therefore, the specimen is 100% austenite.

Upon cooling rapidly to room temperature, all of the specimen

transforms to martensite, such that the final microstructure is 100% martensite.

(d) Cool rapidly to 400C (750F), hold for 200 s, then quench to room temperature.
Solution
Below is Figure 10.22 upon which is superimposed the above heat treatment.

After cooling and holding at 400C for 200 s, the entire specimen has transformed to bainite. Therefore,
during the cooling to room temperature no additional transformations will occur. Hence, the final microstructure
consists of 100% bainite.

(e) Rapidly cool to 575C (1065F), hold for 20 s, rapidly cool to 350C (660F), hold for 100 s, then
quench to room temperature.
Solution
Below is Figure 10.22 upon which is superimposed the above heat treatment.

After cooling and holding at 575C for 20 s, the entire specimen has transformed to fine pearlite. Therefore,
during the second heat treatment at 350C no additional transformations will occur. Hence, the final microstructure
consists of 100% fine pearlite.

4 Name the microstructural products of 4340 alloy steel specimens that are first completely
transformed to austenite, then cooled to room temperature at the following rates:
(a) 50C/s,
(b) 3.5C/s,
(c) 0.25C/s, and
(d) 0.005C/s.
Solution
This problem asks for the microstructural products that form when specimens of a 4340 steel are
continuously cooled to room temperature at several rates. Figure 10.28 is used for these determinations.
(a) At a cooling rate of 50C/s, only martensite forms.
(b) At a cooling rate of 3.5C/s, both martensite and bainite form.
(c) At a cooling rate of 0.25C/s, martensite, proeutectoid ferrite, and bainite form.
(d) At a cooling rate of 0.005C/s, proeutectoid ferrite and pearlite form.

5 A 2.0-kg lead-tin alloy of composition 92 wt% Pb8 wt% Sn is heated to 2500C; at this
temperature it is entirely an -phase solid solution (Figure 9.8). The alloy is to be melted to the
extent that 50% of the specimen is liquid, the remainder being the phase. This may be
accomplished either by heating the alloy or changing its composition while holding the
temperature constant. How much tin must be added to the 2.0-kg specimen at 2500C to achieve
this state?
Solution
(b) We can also produce a 50% liquid solution at 250C, by adding Sn to the alloy. At 250C and within
the + L phase region
C = 14 wt% Sn-86 wt% Pb
CL = 34 wt% Sn-66 wt% Pb
Let C0 be the new alloy composition to give W = WL = 0.5. Then,
W = 0.5 =

CL C0
34 C 0
=
C L C
34 14

And solving for C0 gives 24 wt% Sn. Now, let mSn be the mass of Sn added to the alloy to achieve this new

composition. The amount of Sn in the original alloy is

(0.08)(2.0 kg) = 0.16 kg

Then, using a modified form of Equation 4.3

0.16 kg mSn

100= 24
2.0 kg mSn
And, solving for mSn (the mass of tin to be added), yields mSn = 0.42 kg.