Department of MME

BUET, Dhaka
 Binary eutectic systems with partial miscibility
 Nomenclatures and invariant reaction
 Determining composition and relative amounts
 Development of microstructures

Reference:
1. WD Callister, Jr. Materials Science and Engineering: An Introduction,
5th Ed., Ch. 9.
2. SH Avner. Introduction to physical metallurgy, 2nd Ed., Ch. 6.
  Both metals are only
partially soluble to
each other in the
solid state.

 Solids are formed in

the form of solutions.

 The solvus line

indicates the limit of
solid solubility.

Lead - Tin Binary Phase Diagram

 The Eutectic Point
 where three phases are in
equilibrium.
 through this point, the
horizontal isotherm line passes
through and the eutectic
E
reaction occurs

 Point E is designated by the

composition, CE and the
temperature, TE of the alloy.

Melting point of eutectic alloy is

lower than that of the components
(eutectic = “easy to melt”)
Lead - Tin Binary Phase Diagram
The Eutectic Reaction
 Eutectic reaction is the transition between liquid and mixture
of two solid phases, S1 and S2, at eutectic concentration CE.
cooling
L (CE) S1 (CS1E) + S2 (CS2E)
heating
eutectic mixture

 For Pb-Sn system, the eutectic

reaction may be written as:

cooling
L 61.9 Sn a19 Sn + b 97.5Sn
heating
 Eutectic alloy
 Short-freezing-range alloy
 Behaves like pure metal
 No “mushy” zone

Hypo / hypereutectic alloy

 Long-freezing-range alloys
 Wide mushy zone

Hypoeutectic Alloys Hypereutectic

EUTECTIC
ALLOY

Lead – Tin Binary Phase Diagram

 In the case of lead-rich
alloy (0-2 wt. % of tin)
solidification proceeds
in the same manner as
for isomorphous alloys
(e.g. Cu-Ni) that we
discussed earlier.

L  L+a  a

Alloys with no Eutectic and forming Unsaturated Solid Solutions

 At compositions
between the minimum
and the maximum solid
solubility limit, β phase
nucleates as the α solid
solubility is exceeded
upon crossing the
solvus line.

L  L+ a
 a a+b

Precipitates in Al-Si alloy

Alloys with no Eutectic and forming

Supersaturated Solid Solutions
 Micrograph of Pb-Sn
eutectic, containing
alternate layers of Pb-rich a
phase (dark layers), and Sn-
rich b phase (light layers)

alternate layers of
a and b crystals
The Eutectic Alloy
How does eutectic microstructure form?
 Compositions of α and β phases are very different. The eutectic reaction involves
redistribution of Pb and Sn atoms by atomic diffusion. This simultaneous formation
of α and β phases result in a layered (lamellar) microstructure that is called the
eutectic structure.

Micrograph of Pb-Sn eutectic, containing alternate

layers of Pb-rich a phase (dark layers), and Sn-rich
b phase (light layers)
 Eutectic

Pro
The Hypoeutectic Alloy eutectic
Problem
For the Pb-Sn alloy system,
(a) What is the compositions and relative
amounts of the phases that constitute
the eutectic microstructure?
(b) For an alloy containing 30 % Sn,
(i) What are the relative amounts of
a and b phases present at the
eutectic temperature?
(ii) What are the relative amounts of
the eutectic and the proeutectic a
phase present at the same
temperature?
Solutions
For the Pb-Sn alloy system,
(a) What is the compositions and relative
amounts of the phases that constitute
the eutectic microstructure?

  
R S Eutectic structure consists
of a and b phases

Ca = 19.0 wt% Sn
Cb = 97.5 wt% Sn

Wa = 100 S / (R+S) = 100 (97.5 – 61.9) / (97.5 – 19.0) = 45.3 %

Wb = 100 R / (R+S) = 100 (61.9 – 19.0) / (97.5 – 19.0) = 54.7 %
Solutions
(b) For an alloy containing 30 % Sn,
(i) What are the relative amounts of
a and b phases present at the
eutectic temperature?

  
R S Wa = 100 S / (R+S)
= 100 (97.5 – 30.0) / (97.5 – 19.0)
= 86.0 %

Wb = 100 R / (R+S)
= 100 (30.0 – 19.0) / (97.5 – 19.0)
= 13.0 %
Solutions
(b) For an alloy containing 30 % Sn,
(ii) What are the relative amounts of
the eutectic and the proeutectic a
phase present at the same
temperature?
  
R S Wa = 100 S / (R+S)
= 100 (61.9 – 30.0) / (61.9 – 19.0)
= 74.4 %

WE = 100 R / (R+S)
= 100 (30.0 – 19.0) / (61.9 – 19.0)
= 23.6 %
 L

Temperature
L+a

a+b

Time

Alloys with no eutectic

 Temperature
L

L + (a+b)

(a + b)

Time

Eutectic alloy
 L

Temperature
L+a

(a+b) + a

Time

Hypo / hyper eutectic alloy