MSE 230

Assignment 7 Solutions

Fall 2014

*Problems with an * by them will not be graded, but solutions will be provided.
1.* This problem calls for the mass of hydrogen, per hour, that diffuses through a Pd sheet. It first
becomes necessary to employ both Equations (5.1) and (5.2). Combining these expressions and
solving for the mass yields

M = JAt = - DAt

C
x

0.6 - 2.4 kg/m3

= - (1.0 x 10 m /s)(0.2 m )(3600 s/h)

5 x 10-3 m
-8

= 2.6 x 10

2.*

-3

kg/h

Carbon should diffuse through iron more rapidly than chromium, and chromium should
have a higher activation energy for diffusion.
Carbon is much smaller than iron and may diffuse via interstitial sites. Chromium is close
in size to iron and diffuses by a vacancy diffusion mechanism. Therefore, for chromium
to diffuse it must exchange lattice positions with a vacant lattice site. The extra
requirement for vacancy formation results in a higher activation energy for chromium.

3. On the same graph, sketch qualitatively correct plots of ln(D) vs. 1/T for i) carbon diffusing
through BCC iron and ii) radioactive iron diffusing through BCC iron. Please
provide reasons for any differences between the two plots.
The plot reflects the fact that carbon should
diffuse more rapidly through iron than iron
diffuses through itself. This is because carbon
diffuses through iron via interstitial sites while
iron needs vacancies to diffuse.
The higher absolute value of the carbon
diffusivity represents the more rapid diffusion
rate, while the lower slope for carbon diffusivity
represents the lower activation energy required
for interstitial diffusion relative to vacancy
diffusion.

4.

In order to solve this problem, we must first compute the value of D from the data given at 1000 K;
o
this requires the combining of both Equations (5.2) and (5.8). Solving for D from these expressions
o
gives
J
D =exp
o
C/x

5.4 x 10-10 kg/m2-s

= -
exp
- 350 kg/m4

! Qd $
#
&
" RT %

"
%
125000 J / mol
$
'
$# (8.31J / mol K ) (1000 K ) '&

= 5.26 x 10

-6

2
m /s

The value of the diffusion flux at 1300 K may be computed using these same two equations as
follows:

J=-D

= - (5.26 x 10

-6

Q
C exp - d
o x
RT
125000 J/mol

(8.31 J/mol-K)(1300 K)

2
4
m /s)(- 350 kg/m ) exp -

= 1.74 x 10

-8

2
kg/m -s

5.* This problem calls for an estimate of the time necessary to achieve a carbon concentration of 0.45
wt% at a point 5 mm from the surface. From Equation (5.6b),
2
x
= constant
Dt

But since the temperature is constant, so also is D constant, and

2
x
= constant
t
or

x
t

2
1

x
=

2
2

Thus,
(2.5 mm)
10 h

2
=

(5.0 mm)
t
2

from which
t = 40 h
2

6. This is a nonsteady-state diffusion situation; thus, it is necessary to employ Equation (5.5), utilizing the
following values for the concentration parameters:
C = 0.0025 wt% N
o
C = 0.45 wt% N
s
C = 0.12 wt% N
x

Therefore
C -C
x
o
=
C -C
s
o

0.12 0.0025
0.45 0.0025

x
0.2626 = 1 - erf

2 Dt

And thus
x
0.7374 = erf

2 Dt
Using linear interpolation and the data presented in Table 5.1

erf (z)

0.75

0.7112

0.7374

0.80

0.7421

0.7374 0.7112
y 0.75
=
0.7421 0.7112 0.80 0.75
From which

y=

x
2 Dt

= 0.7924

The problem stipulates that x = 0.45 mm = 4.5 x 10

-4

m. Therefore

4.5x104 m
= 0.7924
2 Dt
Which leads to

Dt = 8.063 x 10

-8

Furthermore, the diffusion coefficient depends on temperature according to Equation (5.8); and, as
-7 2
stipulated in the problem, D = 3 x 10 m /s and Q = 76,150 J/mol. Hence
o
d

Qd
-8 2

Dt = D exp o
RT(t) = 8.063 x 10 m
(3.0 x 10

-7

76150
-8 2

(8.31 J/mol-K)(T)(t) = 8.063 x 10 m

2
m /s) exp -

And solving for the time t

t (in s) =

0.269
# 9163.7 &
exp%
(
$
T '

Thus, the required diffusion time may be computed for some specified temperature (in K). Below are

temperatures that lie within the range stipulated in the problem.

tabulated t values for three different
The higher the temperature the higher the diffusivity and the less time taken to reach a concentration
of 0.12 wt.% nitrogen at a depth of 0.45 mm below the surface.

_________________________________

Temperature
C (K)

Time
s

_________________________________
500 (773)

37,861

10.52

550 (823)

18,425

5.12

600 (873)

9,738

2.70

__________________________________
7.

Recrystallization
Time

Recrystallization Temperature
The time is takes for recrystallization to occur decreases with increasing temperature. This is
because at higher temperatures the rate of diffusion is higher. Since atoms move around by
self-diffusion during recrystallization, the higher the temperature (as long as it stays below
the melting temperature), the shorter the recrystallization time.