MSE 230 : Solutions for Assignment 10 Fall 2014

*Problems with an * by them will not be graded, but solutions will be provided.
Problem 1*
First we cool the alloys rapidly to 0C such that no diffusion can occur. At this point, the
microstructure just consists of a polycrystalline single phase microstructure. The phase is
supersaturated with copper. The copper would like to diffuse to form the phase, but the
temperature is too low to accomplish this.
Heating to 50C and holding for 1 hour won't change things because there hasn't been
enough of a temperature increase to get diffusion going. The microstructure would look the
same as when the material was quenched.
Heating to 200C for one hour will result in a fine dispersion of precipitates in an
matrix, while heating to 350C will result in a smaller number of larger precipitates.
The ordering in increasing strength will be:
50C < 350C < 200C
The alloy treated at 50C is the lowest because the particles did not form (although you should
expect some solid solution strengthening). The strength of the alloy at 200C will be the largest
because it contains the finest particles and therefore the largest number of particles per unit
volume of alloy. Many small particles are more effective at inhibiting dislocation motion.
Problem 2
Two samples of an alloy of Al containing 4 wt. % Cu are heat treated at 540C until all of the
copper is in solid solution (see phase diagram below). One sample of the alloy is quenched
rapidly to room temperature and then heated back up to 300C (in the + two phase region)
until the particles have just completed precipitating. A second sample is cooled very slowly
from 540C to room temperature.
(5) a) Assuming that 300C is below the nose of the TTT diagram, modify the microstructures
below to show the microstructures you would expect to observe for the different heat treatments.

Slow cooling leads to large precipitates because the material is in the two phase region at higher

temperatures where the driving force for nucleation (undercooling) is small and the diffusivity is
large (allowing rapid mass transport that favors precipitate growth). Also, given the rapid mass
transport one expects some of the particles to grow on grain boundaries to minimize their
interfacial energy.
Quenching and reheating to below the noise creates situation where the driving force for
nucleation is large and the diffusivity is relatively small. This favors the growth of many more
fine precipitates compared to slow cooling.
b) Which microstructure do you expect to have the higher yield stress? Briefly explain your
answer.
Quenched and heated to 300C should have the higher yield stress for two main reasons:
a) For a given volume of second phase a smaller particle size leads to a greater number of
particles per unit volume.
b) Smaller particles maintain a coherent interface and the coherency strain associated with
the interface is very effective at inhibiting dislocation motion. At some point particle
growth results in an incoherent interface that is much less effective at inhibiting
dislocation motion.
Problem 3*
a) After holding for 100 seconds at 600C all of the austenite has transformed to
pearlite. Quenching to room temperature does not change the microstructure.
b) After holding for 100 seconds at 700C none of the austenite has transformed to
pearlite. So we still have 100% austenite. Upon quenching to room temperature
virtually all of the austenite transforms to martensite via a displacive or athermal
transformation. Usually not all of the austenite is able to transform (Fig. 11.23) so we
are left with 90+% martensite and <10% austenite.
c) After holding for 100 seconds at 350C approximately half of the austenite has
transformed to bainite. Upon quenching to room temperature most of the remaining
austenite will be transformed to martensite. The bainite formed at 350C will not be
affected by the quench. So we are left with 50% bainite, 45% martensite, and 5%
retained austenite.
Problem 4
The key here is to recognize that if you heat your iron-carbon alloy of eutectoid
composition above the eutectoid temperature (727C) the alloy will consist of single phase
austenite. Then you can make a variety of microstructures following the same approach as
problem 1.
a) Making martensite from coarse pearlite: heat the coarse pearlite above 727C (say to

800C) and hold it there for sufficient time to transform the pearlite to austenite.
Then quench the austenite to room temperature. This will result in a microstructure
that is 90+% martensite with the remainder retained austenite.
b)

Coarse pearlite from fine pearlite: again heat to 800C until the alloy is all
austenite. Quickly cool to 650C and hold it there until the austenite transform
completely to coarse pearlite (approximately 2 minutes). Holding above 650C (but
below the eutectoid temperature!) will produce pearlite that is more coarse, but will
also take longer.

c) Same thing as part b.

Problem 5*
We are called upon to name the microstructural products that form for specimens of an iron-carbon alloy
of eutectoid composition that are continuously cooled to room temperature at a variety of rates.
Figure 10.27 is used in these determinations.
(a) At a rate of 200C/s, only martensite forms.
(b) At a rate of 100C/s, both martensite and pearlite form.
(c) At a rate of 20C/s, only fine pearlite forms.

Problem 6*
This problem asks us to consider the tempering of a water-quenched 1080 steel to achieve a
hardness of 50 HRC. It is necessary to use Figure 10.35.
(a) The time necessary at 425C is about 650 s.
(b) At 315C, the time required (by extrapolation) is approximately 4 x 106 s (about 50
days).
Problem 7*
a) Extended heating of pearlite near the eutectoid temperature will cause the plates of
ferrite and cementite to break up into spheres of cementite in a ferrite matrix (see
Fig. 10.19). The formation of spheroidite from pearlite is driven by the reduction in
interfacial energy between the ferrite and cementite phases. This process results in
relatively coarse (1-3 m diameter) cementite particles.
Tempered martensite is formed when martensite is heated to a temperature
sufficiently large to allow carbon to diffuse. If we stay in the +Fe3C two phase
region this will result in the formation of cementite particles in a ferrite matrix. In
contrast to spheroidite, the cementite particles in tempered martensite will be much
smaller (see Fig. 10.33), in this case 10 times smaller. This is because they arise from
the nucleation and growth of new cementite particles from carbon that was in solid
solution rather than the breakup of existing cementite plates.
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b) Tempered martensite will have a greater strength because of the finer dispersion of
cementite particles. Referring to Table B.4 on page 891 you can see that the strength
of "oil-quenched and tempered (@315C)" steel is significantly larger than the
strength of annealed steel for a number of different steel alloys.
Problem 8
In this problem we will make use of Figures 10.32 and 10.35. Forming a fine pearlite
structure in 1080 steel (0.8 wt.%C) will result in a Brinell hardness of no greater than
300 which is too low (unfortunately, there is no data for bainite here). The data for
martensite tempered at 371C has a value of approximately 475, also too low. The
data for martensite indicates a Brinell hardness of over 600, too large.
However, we can make martensite and then temper the martensite to reduce the hardness.
Figure 10.35 indicates that tempering the martensite at 315C for approximately one
hour will result in a steel with a Brinell hardness of approximately 550. To make the
martensite in the first place one would likely need to heat above the eutectoid
temperature to allow the original microstructure to convert to all austenite before
quenching to form martensite.

Problem 9*
We are asked to specify a practical heat treatment for a 2014 aluminum alloy that will produce a minimum
tensile strength of 380 MPa, and a minimum ductility of 15%EL. From Figure 11.28(a), the following
heat treating temperatures and time ranges are possible to the give the required tensile strength.

Temperature (C)

Time Range (h)

204

0-12 h

149

0-1000 h

121

0-?

With regard to temperatures and times to give the desired ductility:

Temperature (C)

Time Range (h)

204

<0.2 h

149

<10 h

121

<500 h

From these tabulations, the following may be concluded:

At 204C, the time would be roughly 10 minutes which is a bit impractical when considering
heating and cooling times.
At 149C, the time would be 10 h
Finally, at 121C, the time range is about 500 h. Heat treatments for such long time periods
are not practical.

Problem 10
a) In the manner of Example Problem 11.1, the equivalent distances and hardnesses tabulated
below were determined from Figures 11.15 and 11.18b.
Radial
Position

Equivalent
Distance, mm

HRC
Hardness

Surface
3/4 R
Midradius
Center

7
11
14
16

54
50
45
44

The resulting hardness profile is plotted below.

(b) A 70-mm (2 3 -in.) diameter cylindrical specimen of a 1040 steel alloy that has been
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quenched in moderately agitated water.

Solution

In the manner of Example Problem 11.1, the equivalent distances and hardnesses
tabulated below were determined from Figures 11.15 and 11.18a.
Radial
Position
Surface
3/4 R
Midradius
Center

Equivalent
Distance, mm
3
8
13
15

HRC
Hardness
48
30
23
22

The resulting hardness profile is plotted below.

c) The alloying elements of Ni, Cr and Mo in 8640 steel suppress the diffusive transformation of
austenite to pearlite enabling the formation of martensite (and perhaps bainite). This leads to
greater hardness throughout the sample although the middle is somewhat softer due to the slower
cooling rate. 1040 steel, being a plain carbon steel and lacking the additives to suppress diffusive
transformations, forms martensite only close to the surface where the cooling rates are the
fastest, and pearlite once one gets below the surface.

Problem 11*
A ninety-millimeter (three and one-half inch) diameter cylindrical steel specimen is to be
quenched in moderately agitated water. We are to decide which of eight different steels will
have surface and center hardnesses of at least 55 and 40 HRC, respectively.
In moderately agitated water, the equivalent distances from the quenched end for a 90 mm
diameter bar for surface and center positions are 3 mm (1/8 in.) and 22 mm (7/8 in.), respectively
[Figure 11.18a]. The hardnesses at these two positions for the alloys cited are given below. The
hardnesses at these two positions for the alloys cited are given below (as determined from
Figures 11.15 and 11.16).

Alloy
1040
5140
4340
4140
8620
8630
8640
8660

Surface
Hardness (HRC)
50
56
57
57
42
51
56
64

Center
Hardness (HRC)
< 20
34
53
45
< 20
28
38
55

Thus, alloys 4340, 4140, and 8660 will satisfy the criteria for both surface hardness (minimum
55 HRC) and center hardness (minimum 40 HRC).