The Eutectic Phase Diagram

Solvus - A solubility curve that separates a single-solid

phase region from a two-solid phase region in the phase
diagram.

Isopleth - A line on a phase diagram that shows constant
chemical composition.

Hypoeutectic alloy - An alloy composition between that of
the left-hand-side end of the tie line defining the eutectic
reaction and the eutectic composition.

Hypereutectic alloys - An alloy composition between that of
the right-hand-side end of the tie line defining the eutectic
reaction and the eutectic composition.

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The lead-tin equilibrium phase diagram.

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solution.
The alloy is a
Pb-2% Sn alloy.
Solidification and

single-phase solid
microstructure of a
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Solidification, precipitation, and microstructure of a Pb-10% Sn

alloy. Some dispersion strengthening occurs as the β solid
precipitates.
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 EXmple: Pb-Sn Eutectic System
• For a 40 wt% Sn-60 wt% Pb alloy at 150°C, find...
--the phases present: α + β Pb-Sn
--compositions of phases: T(°C) system
CO = 40 wt% Sn
Cα = 11 wt% Sn 300
L (liquid)
Cβ = 99 wt% Sn
--the relative amount α L+ α
200 183°C L+β β
of each phase: 18.3 61.9 97.8
S C - CO 150
Wα =
R+S
= β
Cβ - Cα
R S
100
α+β
99 - 40 59
= = = 67 wt%
99 - 11 88
C - Cα 0 11 20 40 60 80 99100
Wβ = R = O Cα Co Cβ
R+S Cβ - Cα C, wt% Sn
Adapted from Fig. 9.8,
40 - 11 29 Callister 7e.
= = = 33 wt%
99 - 11 88
 EXmple: Pb-Sn Eutectic System
• For a 40 wt% Sn-60 wt% Pb alloy at 200°C, find...
--the phases present: α + L Pb-Sn
--compositions of phases: T(°C) system
CO = 40 wt% Sn
Cα = 17 wt% Sn 300
L (liquid)
CL = 46 wt% Sn L+α
--the relative amount 220 α
200 R S L+β β
of each phase: 183°C
CL - CO 46 - 40
Wα = = 100
CL - Cα 46 - 17 α+β
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= = 21 wt%
29 100
0 17 20 40 46 60 80
Cα Co CL
CO - Cα 23 C, wt% Sn
WL = = = 79 wt% Adapted from Fig. 9.8,
CL - Cα 29 Callister 7e.
 Example 1: Phases in the Lead–Tin (Pb-Sn)
Phase Diagram

Determine (a) the solubility of tin in solid lead at

100oC, (b) the maximum solubility of lead in solid
tin, (c) the amount of β that forms if a Pb-10% Sn
alloy is cooled to 0oC, (d) the masses of tin
contained in the α and β phases, and (e) mass of
lead contained in the α and β phases. Assume that
the total mass of the Pb-10% Sn alloy is 100 grams.

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Solidification, precipitation, and microstructure of a Pb-10% Sn

alloy. Some dispersion strengthening occurs as the β solid
precipitates.
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Example 1 SOLUTION
(a) The 100oC temperature intersects the solvus curve at
5% Sn. The solubility of tin (Sn) in lead (Pb) at 100oC
therefore is 5%.
(b) The maximum solubility of lead (Pb) in tin (Sn), which is
found from the tin-rich side of the phase diagram, occurs
at the eutectic temperature of 183oC and is 97.5% Sn.
(c) At 0oC, the 10% Sn alloy is in a α + β region of the phase
diagram. By drawing a tie line at 0oC and applying the
lever rule, we find that:

% β = 10 - 2 × 100 = 8 . 2 %
100 - 2

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• d) since the percent of = 8.2 % in the
alloy at (0) temp
• Therefore % = 100-8.2=91.8%
• Total weight of alloy 100 g,
• α phase weight = 100 x 91.8%=91.8 g
• β phases weight = 100 x 8.2 %= 8.2 g
Example 1 SOLUTION (Continued)
(d) The mass of Sn in the α phase = 2% Sn × 91.8 g of α
phase = 0.02 × 91.8 g = 1.836 g. Since tin (Sn) appears
in both the α and β phases, the mass of Sn in the β
phase will be = (10 – 1.836) g = 8.164 g.
(e) Mass of Pb in the α phase
α phase has 2% Sn ,therefore Pb = 98%
Total weight of alloy 100 g, α phase weight = 91.8 g
Therefore weight of Pb in α phase:

= 98% Pb × 91.8 g of α phase = 0.98 × 91.8 g = 89.964 g

Mass of Pb in the β phase
= 90 - 89.964 = 0.036 g.
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Summary of calculations (for example 1).

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Solidification and microstructure of the eutectic alloy Pb-61.9% Sn.

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Figure 10.13 The cooling curve for a eutectic alloy is a simple thermal arrest, since
eutectics freeze or melt at a single temperature.

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(a) Atom redistribution during lamellar growth of a lead-tin

eutectic. Tin atoms from the liquid preferentially diffuse to
the β plates, and lead atoms diffuse to the α plates. (b)
Photomicrograph of the lead-tin eutectic microconstituent
(x400). 15
 Example 2: Amount of Phases in the
Eutectic Alloy
(a) Determine the amount and composition of each
phase in a lead-tin alloy of eutectic composition. (b)
Calculate the mass of phases present. (c) Calculate the
amount of lead and tin in each phase, assuming you
have 200 g of the alloy.
Example 2 SOLUTION
(a) The eutectic alloy contains 61.9% Sn.

α : (Pb − 19% Sn) % α = 97.5 − 61.9 = ×100 = 45.35%

97.5 − 19.0
β : (Pb − 97.5% Sn) % β = 61.9 − 19.0 × 100 = 54.65%
97.5 − 19.0
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Example 2 SOLUTION (Continued)
(b) At a temperature just below the eutectic:
The mass of the α phase in 200 g of the alloy =
mass of the alloy × fraction of the a phase
= 200 g × 0.4535 = 90.7 g
The amount of the β phase in 200 g of the alloy =
(mass of the alloy × mass of the a phase)
= 200.0 g × 90.7 g = 109.3 g

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Example 2 SOLUTION (Continued)
- Mass of Pb in the α phase = mass of the a phase in 200 g ×
(concentration of Pb in α) = (90.7 g) × (1 – 0.190) = 73.467 g
- Mass of Sn in the α phase = mass of the a phase - mass of Pb
in the a phase = (90.7 – 73.467 g) = 17.233 g
- Mass of Pb in β phase = mass of the b phase in 200 g × (wt.
fraction Pb in β) = (109.3 g) × (1 – 0.975) = 2.73 g
- Mass of Sn in the β phase = total mass of Sn – mass of Sn in
the α phase = 123.8 g – 17.233 g = 106.57 g

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Summary of calculations (for Example 2).

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The solidification and microstructure of a hypoeutectic

alloy (Pb-30% Sn).
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(a) A hypoeutectic lead-tin alloy. (b) A
hypereutectic lead-tin alloy. The dark constituent is
the lead-rich solid α, the light constituent is the tin-
rich solid β, and the fine plate structure is the
eutectic (x400).
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 Example 3: Determination of Phases and
Amounts in a Pb-30% Sn Hypoeutectic
Alloy
For a Pb-30% Sn alloy, determine the phases present,
their amounts, and their compositions at 300oC,
200oC, 184oC, 182oC, and 0oC.

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Example 3 SOLUTION

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 Example 4: Microconstituent Amount and
Composition for a Hypoeutectic Alloy

Determine the amounts and compositions of each

microconstituent in a Pb-30% Sn alloy immediately after the
eutectic reaction has been completed.
Example 4 SOLUTION
At a temperature just above the eutectic—say, 184oC—the
amounts and compositions of the two phases are:

α :19% Sn % α = 61.9 − 30 × 100 = 74% = % Primary α

61.9 − 19
L : 61.9% Sn % L = 30 − 19 × 100 = 26% = % eutectic at 182o C
61.9 − 19

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The cooling curve for a hypoeutectic Pb-30% Sn alloy.

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strengthening

lead-tin alloys.
The effect of the
composition and

tensile strength of
mechanism on the
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diagram.
silicon phase
The aluminum-
Typical eutectic microstructures: (a) needle-like
silicon plates in the aluminum silicon eutectic (x100),
and (b) rounded silicon rods in the modified
aluminum-silicon eutectic (x100).

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