Ch7
Q1
(a) Compare interstitial and vacancy atomic mechanisms for diffusion.
(b) Cite two reasons why interstitial diffusion is normally more rapid than vacancy
diffusion.
ANS:
(a) With vacancy diffusion, atomic motion is from one lattice site to an adjacent
vacancy. Self-diffusion and the diffusion of substitutional impurities proceed via this
mechanism. On the other hand, atomic motion is from interstitial site to adjacent
interstitial site for the interstitial diffusion mechanism.
(b) Interstitial diffusion is normally more rapid than vacancy diffusion because: (1)
interstitial atoms, being smaller, are more mobile; and (2) the probability of an empty
adjacent interstitial site is greater than for a vacancy adjacent to a host (or substitutional
impurity) atom.
Q2
A sheet of steel 1.8 mm thick has nitrogen atmospheres on both sides at 1200°C and is
permitted to achieve a steady-state diffusion condition. The diffusion coefficient
for nitrogen in steel at this temperature is 6 × 10−11 m2/s, and the diffusion flux is
found to be 1.2 × 10−7 kg/m2⋅s. Also, it is known that the concentration of nitrogen
in the steel at the high-pressure surface is 4 kg/m3. How far into the sheet from
this high-pressure side will the concentration be 2.0 kg/m3? Assume a linear
concentration profile.
ANS:
This problem is solved by using Equation 7.2 in the form
If we take CA to be the point at which the concentration of nitrogen is 4 kg/m3, then it
becomes necessary to solve for xB, as
Assume xA is zero at the surface, in which case
4 kg / m3 − 2 kg / m3
xB = 0 + (6 × 10−11 m 2 /s) −7
1.2 × 10 kg / m -s
2
= 1 × 10-3 m = 1 mm
Q3
Determine the carburizing time necessary to achieve a carbon concentration of 0.45
wt% at a position 2 mm into an iron–carbon alloy that initially contains 0.20 wt%
C. The surface concentration is to be maintained at 1.30 wt% C, and the
treatment is to be conducted at 1000°C. Use the diffusion data for γ-Fe in Table
7.2.
ANS:
In order to solve this problem it is first necessary to use Equation 7.5:
wherein, Cx = 0.45, C0 = 0.20, Cs = 1.30, and x = 2 mm = 2 × 10−3 m. Thus,
or
By linear interpolation using data from Table 7.1
z erf(z)
0.85 0.7707
z 0.7727
0.90 0.7970
From which
x
z = 0.854 =
2 Dt
Now, from Table 7.2, at 1000°C (1273 K)
148, 000 J/mol
D = (2.3 × 10−5 m 2 /s) exp −
(8.31 J/mol ⋅ K)(1273 K )
= 1.93 × 10-11 m2/s
Thus,
Solving for t yields
t = 7.1 × 104 s = 19.7 h
Q4
For a steel alloy it has been determined that a carburizing heat treatment of 10-h
duration will raise the carbon concentration to 0.45 wt% at a point 2.5 mm from
the surface. Estimate the time necessary to achieve the same concentration at a
5.0-mm position for an identical steel and at the same carburizing temperature.
ANS:
This problem calls for an estimate of the time necessary to achieve a carbon
concentration of 0.45 wt% at a point 5.0 mm from the surface. From Equation 7.6b,
x2
= constant
Dt
But since the temperature is constant, so also is D constant, and
x2
= constant
t
or
Thus,
from which
t2 = 40 h
