University of Virginia, Department of Materials Science and Engineering

MSE 305: Phase Diagrams and Kinetics
Fall 2008, Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 - 10:45
Wilsdorf Hall, Room 101
animated gif file Instructor: Leonid V. Zhigilei
Office: Wilsdorf Hall 303D
Office Hours: open
Help Session: to be determined
Telephone: (434) 243 3582
E-mail: lz2n@virginia.edu

Web: http://www.people.virginia.edu/~lz2n/mse305/
Class e-mail: SEAS_2008_Fall_MSE305-1@toolkit.virginia.edu



Grading: Homework 25%; Mid-Term Exams 30%; Final 45%

Homework #1 was due Tuesday, September 16
Homework #2 was due Thursday, September 25
Homework #3 was due Tuesday, October 7
Review session - Thursday, October 16, 4:00pm, Mechanical Engineering Building, Room 347
Mid-Term Exam - Tuesday, October 21
Homework #4 was due Thursday, November 6
Computer Laboratory (and homework #5) - Tuesday, November 11, 9:30am, ITC Computer Lab in Small Hall
Review session - Thursday, November 13, 4:00pm, Mechanical Engineering Building, Room 347
Mid-Term Exam - Tuesday, November 18

Abstract: In this course we start from a brief review of classical thermodynamics necessary for understanding of phase diagrams. We will then apply the thermodynamic concepts to the analysis of phase equilibria and phase transformations in one-component and multi-component systems. We will learn how to read and analyze phase diagrams of real materials and how to construct phase diagrams from thermodynamic data. In the last part of the course we will consider the basic concepts of kinetic phenomena in materials. Most kinetic phenomena in condensed matter involve diffusion and we will focus on the mechanisms of diffusion in materials as well as on the analytical and numerical methods to describe diffusion. By the end of the course we will see how the interplay of thermodynamic driving forces and kinetics of mass transfer is defining the formation of complex microstructure of real materials.

Main (optional) text: D. A. Porter and K. E. Easterling, Phase Transformations in Metals and Alloys, 2nd edition, Chapman & Hall, London, UK, 1992 (TN690 .P597 - placed on reserve circulate, Science and Engineering Library). This textbook (2nd edition) was reprinted by CRC Press in 2003 and you can buy it from them for $70, or you can buy a used or new text for $45-$63 at amazon.com)

Lecture notes: will appear at this Web page as course progresses.

Optional text (placed on reserve circulate, Science and Engineering Library): D. R. Gaskell, Introduction to the Thermodynamics of Materials, 4th edition, New York: Taylor & Francis, 2003 (TN673 .G33 2003)

In the first part of this course, when we review the fundamentals of thermodynamics, it would be useful for you to read sections of Gaskell's book suggested in the lecture notes. You may also want to look for more compact and sometimes more clear explanations given in Porter and Easterling. Please keep in mind that notation varies from textbook to textbook; nevertheless, looking into different textbooks may help to clarify complicated topics and provide additional examples.

Kinetics is not covered in Gaskell. In the second part of the course the main source of material will come from the lecture notes and from Porter and Easterling.

Syllabus in pdf

Topics that are covered include:

Introduction     Notes (pdf, 414 Kb), Notes (pdf, 4 slides per page, 365 Kb)
Short review of mathematical methods in thermodynamics by S. M. Blinder (pdf, 1.1 Mb)

Review of classical thermodynamics

Phase Transitions and Phase Diagrams
Kinetics

Notes (pdf, 172 Kb), Notes (pdf, 4 slides per page, 162 Kb)

lz2n@virginia.edu     Computational Materials Group     Materials Science & Engineering