Structure of Metals

Atom
Types of atomic bonds
Ionic bonds: Example : NaCl
poor ductility and low thermal and
electrical conductivity.
Covalent bonds Example: H2O, N2
Low electrical conductivity, high hardness
Metallic bonds:,
High thermal and electrical conductivity.
Example: metals
The crystal structure of metals
Body-centered Cubic (BCC): alpha iron,
chromium, etc
Face-centered cubic (FCC): gamma iron,
aluminium, copper, etc
Hexagonal close-packed (HCP): Cobalt, Zinc,
etc
Body-centered cubic
(a) hard-ball model; (b) unit cell; and (c) single crystal with many unit cells.
How many atoms in one unit cell?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co550Y
n7QVc&feature=related
Face-centered Cubic
(a) hard-ball model; (b) unit cell; and (c) single crystal with many unit cells.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoyzZUJfo-Y
Hexagonal close-packed crystal
(a) unit cell; and (b) single crystal with many unit cells
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIeRqo
WaGg4&feature=related
Atomic Packing Fraction for FCC
Face-Centered-Cubic
Arrangement
APF = vol. of atomic spheres in unit cell
total unit cell vol.
Depends on:
Crystal structure.
How close packed the atoms are.
In simple close-packed structures with hard
sphere atoms, independent of atomic radius
Unit cell c ontains:
6 x 1/2 + 8 x 1/8
= 4 atoms/unit cell
11
a
a
2R
R 2 2
R 2 2
|
.
|

\
|
=
3
3
4
4 R V
atoms
t
3 3 3
_
2 16 ) 2 2 ( R R a V
cell unit
= = =
Basic Geometry for FCC

2a = 4R
Geometry:
4 atoms/unit cell
R a 2 2 =
Geometry along close-packed direction give relation between a and R.
12
Atomic Packing Fraction for FCC
Face-Centered-Cubic
Arrangement
APF = vol. of atomic spheres in unit cell
total unit cell vol.

How many spheres (i.e. atoms)?
What is volume/atom?
What is cube volume/cell?
How is R related to a?
4/cell
4R
3
/3
a
3
= 0.74
Independent of R!

2a = 4R
Unit cell c ontains:
6 x 1/2 + 8 x 1/8
= 4 atoms/unit cell
13
Deformation and strength of single crystal
(a) Deformation by slip. The b/a ratio influences the magnitude of the shear
stress required to cause slip. (b) Deformation by twinning, involving the
generation of a twin around a line of symmetry subjected to shear.
Types of defects
Point defects or zero dimensional defects:
vacancy, interstitial atom or impurity
Linear or one dimensional defects: dislocations.
Planar or two dimensional defects: such as
grain boundaries and phase boundaries.
Volume, bulk imperfection or three
dimensional defects, such as voids, inclusions,
other phases, or cracks.
Dislocation
(a) edge dislocation; and (b) screw dislocation
Movement of an edge dislocation across
the crystal lattice under a shear stress
Schematic illustration of the stages during
the solidification of molten metal
(a) Nucleation of crystals at random sites in the molten metal; note that
the crystallographic orientation of each site is different. (b) and (c) Growth
of crystals as solidification continues. (d) Solidified metal, showing
individual grains and grain boundaries
Grain Size

Grain size significantly influences the mechanical properties of metals. In
general, a large grain size is associated with low strength, low hardness,
and low ductility.
The ASTM grain size number: N=2
n-1
n: grain size number.
N: number of grain, per square inch at a magnification of 100X (equal to
0.0645mm
2
of actual area)


Question: Number of Grains in the ball of a ballpoint
pen?
Assume that the ball of a ballpoint pen is 1mm in
diameter and has an ASTM grain size of 10. Calculate
the number of grains in the ball?
Plastic Deformation of Polycrystalline Metals
(a) before deformation; and (b) after deformation
Recovery, Recrystallization and Grain growth
Cold, Warm and Hot Working
Cold working refers to plastic deformation that is usually, but not
necessarily, carried out at room temperature.

Hot working refers to plastic deformation that carried out above the
recrystallization temperature.

Warm working is carried out at intermediate temperatures.



Summary
Bond: ionic bond, covalent bond, metallic bond
Crystal structure: BCC, FCC, HCP
No metal is perfect (including ourselves)
Plastic deformation in single crystal: slip and
twinning.
Grain size has a significant effect on the strength
of metals.
Grain boundaries have a major influence on the
behavior of metals.

Reading assignment
1. Review Slides
2. Chapter 1 of your book