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1.

0 INTRODUCTION

A phase diagram is a diagram showing phases present under equilibrium conditions and the
phase compositions at each combination of temperature and overall composition. Sometimes
phase diagrams also indicate metastable phases (Phule). One type of phase diagram plots
temperature against the relative concentrations of two substances in a binary mixture called a
binary phase diagram. A binary phase diagram, represented on temperature-composition
coordinates, consists of the single-phase regions separated by the two-phase regions. The curves
separating of the single-phase regions from two phases represent the compositions of single
phases.

In the contemporary engineering world, phase diagrams are used for various applications such as
the following:
1) Solidification and casting problems,
2) Thermal analysis of an alloy,
3) Soldering,
4) Brazing, and
5) Kirkendahl Voiding.

The preceding applications are mostly for engineering purposes only. However, in the scientific
world, a phase diagram is used for even more in analysis of elements, compounds and alloys.
Phase diagrams are very important in materials science and engineering, because these are tools
that define the thermodynamically stable components of a materials' morphology or
microstructure. The properties of aluminum, for example, can be dramatically changed if an
alloying element is added such that a second phase appears in the microstructure and is
distributed throughout the primary aluminum phase.

The main purpose of this experiment was to determine the phase diagram of tin-bismuth (Sn-Bi)
from the experimental data recorded from the lab. Fir the phase diagram, different weight
percentages of tin and bismuth were used to determine the different phases that could be formed.
Multiple teams were assigned different specimens to be examined under the scanning electron
microscope (SEM), and the image from the SEM was uploaded in Scandium software. The
Scandium software was used to perform phase analysis on the photographs (images) obtained
from the SEM.

This report discusses and analyzes the results from the experimental data generated from the lab.
The experimental results are compared to published values to check for the percentage
differences in between both the experimental and published values. Additionally, the images
from the SEM, the phase calculations from the Scandium software, were verified the analyses
done on the experimental phase diagram.
2.0 THEORY
This section discusses the theory required to understand the results and discussion section of the
report. First, the required definitions are stated, and then phase diagram and analysis of phase
diagrams are discussed.

2.1 DEFINITIONS AND BASIC TERMINOLOGY

Phase: is a homogeneous, physically distinct, portion of matter that is present in a non


homogeneous system. A phase may be single component or a mixture. A phase can be
defined as any portion, including the whole, of a system which is physically
homogeneous within itself and bounded by surface so that it is mechanically separable
from any other portions.

Component: is an ingredient of a chemical system

Composition of a phase (C): is the relative amount of the components a phase contains.

Phase Diagrams: Diagrams showing phases present under equilibrium conditions and the
phase compositions at each combination of temperature and overall composition.

Binary Phase Diagram: A phase diagram for a system with two components.

Precipitates: are formed when the concentration of a component exceeds the soulbility
limit.

Eutectic: is an alloy of immiscible components.

Eutectic point: is the point on the phase diagram where liquid transforms into the
eutectic, which consists of two distinct phases. The result is called eutectoid.

Eutectic Line: The eutectic line or, more accurately, the eutectic tie line is the constant
temperature line through the eutectic point.

Solidification:

Liquidous: or the liquidous line is the line (or lines) on a phase diagram above which only
liquid is present. Technically it is "the locus of temperatures above which only liquid is
stable

Solidus: or the solidus line is the line (or lines) on a phase diagram below which only
solid is present. Technically it is "the locus of temperatures below which only solid is
stable
2.2 PHASE DIAGRAMS

A phase diagram is a map of the phase or phases stable as a function of different


thermodynamic variables (e.g. temperature, pressure, composition, etc.). Before going
further deeper into phase diagrams, first, other required ideas/concepts are introduced.

A cooling curve illustrates how the temperature changes as a substance is cooled down.
Cooling curves have horizontal flat parts where the state changes from gas to liquid, or
from liquid to solid. For example, salol or stearic acid could be used to make a cooling
curve. Salol has a melting point of about 45°C and stearic acid has a melting point of
about 69°C. They are easily melted in a boiling tube placed in a beaker of hot water. The
temperature can be followed using a thermometer or temperature probe connected to a
data logger. The liquid may be cooled by putting the boiling tube in a beaker of cold
water or just leaving it in the air. Figure (), below, illustrates the cooling curve for the
stearic acid and stalol:

Figure (): Example of a Cooling Curve.


(http://www.kentchemistry.com/links/Matter/HeatingCurve.htm)

From the above-illustrated cooling curve, the phase changes could also be depicted. The
cooling curve could be different for metals with different compositions. For example a
metal with an equal percentage of composition of iron and carbon would have a different
cooling curve when compared to a metal with twenty-five percent carbon and seventy-
five percent iron. Figure (), below illustrates the cooling curve for an alloy with varying
Boron composition:
Figure (): Cooling curve of an Alloy with varying composition. (try to get the
image from the book)
From the above cooling curve, an observation could be made that as the concentration of
Boron was increased, the phase change was occurring at a much higher temperature. A
binary phase diagram depicts the phases formed in differing mixtures of two elements
over a range of temperatures. Compositions run from 100% Element A on the left of the
diagram, through all possible mixtures, to 100% Element B on the right. The composition
of an alloy is given in the form A – x percentage of B (x%B). For example, Cu – 20 %Al
is 80% copper and 20% aluminum. Weight percentages are often used to specify the
proportions of the alloying elements, but atomic percent may also be used. For example,
Cu – 20 wt%Al for weight percentages implies that the weight of copper present is
twenty percent of the weight of aluminum, and the similar idea is used for the atomic
percentages.
FIGURE

Alloys tend to solidify over a temperature range, rather than at a specific temperature like
pure elements. At each end of the phase diagram only one of the elements is present
(100% A or 100% B) and therefore a specific melting point exists. Sometimes there is a
mixture of the constituent elements that produces solidification at a single temperature
like a pure element. This is called the eutectic point. The eutectic point can be found
experimentally by plotting cooling rates over ranges of alloy composition. The phase
diagrams for some very simple binary alloys do not have eutectic points. This is because
the liquid mixture will cool through a solidification region (temperature range) and
become a solid solution of the two constituent elements. These simple phase diagrams
normally only occur when two very similar elements are being alloyed or as part of a
more complex phase diagram. Figure, below, illustrates a simple binary phase diagram:
Figure (): Simple Binary Phase Diagram.
(http://www.soton.ac.uk/~pasr1/graphics/simp_bin.gif)

By cooling alloys from the liquid state and recording their cooling rates, the temperature
at which they start to solidify can be determined and then plotted on the phase diagram. If
enough experiments are performed over a range of compositions, a start of solidification
curve can be plotted onto the phase diagram. This curve will join the three single
solidification points and is called the liquidus line. Figure () depicts the liquidous line:

Figure: illustration of a liquidous line


http://www.soton.ac.uk/~pasr1/graphics/build3.gif

In the same way that sugar dissolves into hot tea (a liquid solution) it is possible for one
element to dissolve in another, whist both remain inn the solid state. This is called solid
solubility and is characteristically up to a few percent by weight. This solubility limit will
normally change with temperature. The extent of the solid solubility region can be plotted
onto the phase diagram and labeled appropriately. A solid solution of B in A (i.e. mostly
A) is called alpha and a solid solution of A in B (i.e. mostly B) is called beta. It is
worthwhile to note that some elements that are alloyed have zero solid solubility; a good
example is Al - Si alloys, where aluminium has zero solid solubility in silicon. Figure
illustrates the alpha and the beta particles in a phase diagram:
Figure: Illustration of alpha and beta particles in the phase diagrams
http://www.soton.ac.uk/~pasr1/graphics/build4.gif

If an alloy's composition does not place it within the small solid solution regions at either
side of the phase diagram, the alloy will become fully solid at the eutectic temperature,
shown as the eutectic line on the phase diagram. At alloy compositions and temperatures
between the start of solidification and the point at which it becomes fully solid (the
eutectic temperature) a mushy mix of either alpha or beta will exist as solid lumps with a
liquid mixture of A and B. These partially solid regions are marked on the phase diagram.
The region below the eutectic line, and outside the solid solution region, will be a solid
mixture of alpha and beta, and is labeled to reflect this. Figure illustrates the eutectic line:

Figure: Eutectic line illustration


http://www.soton.ac.uk/~pasr1/graphics/build5.gif

Figure, above, depicts a phase diagram with multiple phases present.


2.3 ANALYSIS OF PHASE DIAGRAMS

2.3.1 Single Phase


In a single phase field (in this or in any other phase diagram) the chemical and physical
analysis of what is present in thermodynamic equilibrium is simple. The composition of
the material is equal to the overall composition. For example, in FIGURE, below, the 35
wt% Copper (Cu) alloy is heated to 1400°C (state a, in the FIGURE). The molten alloy
would contain 35 wt% Cu and 65 wt% Ni, and 100% of what is present is liquid.
Similarly, if the original alloy is cooled to 1100°C (state b, in the FIGURE), the phase
diagram depicts that the material is all solid and has a composition equal to the overall
composition, that is, 35 %wt Cu and 65 wt% Ni.
In any single phase field of any binary equilibrium phase diagrams the rules are the
following:
i) The chemical composition of the phase is the same as the overall composition
(Co).
ii) Physically, the alloy is either 100% homogeneous liquid or 100% homogeneous
solid.
iii) Single-phase alloy liquids and solids are generally stable over some range of
compositions and temperature.

FIGURE FROM THE TEXT

2.3.2 Two Phase Mixture, Tie Line Construction, and Chemical Composition
If the system is in a two-phase (L+S) field, a physical mixture of the two phases exists.
The chemical and physical analyses follow different rules from those of the single-phase
field. Both analyses center on the construction of a tie line or isotherm; this is a
horizontal line (constant temperature) drawn through the state point (C) so that it extends
to the left and right until it ends at the single-phase boundaries on either side of the
overall composition. Such a line is depicted at 1340°C fro the initial 35 wt% Cu-65 wt%
Ni alloy, in figure.
FIGURE FROM THE TEXT
Within the L+S field, the composition of the solid (CS) is given by the intersection of the
tie line with the solidus curve (read off the horizontal axis). The composition of the liquid
(CL) is given by the intersection of the tie line with the liquidus curve. For example, in the
35 wt% Cu-65 wt% alloy at 1340°C the following could be calculated — CS = 27 wt% Cu
and CL = 40 wt% Cu. This is depicted in FIGURE.

2.3.3 Two Phase Mixture, Lever Rule, and Relative Phase Amounts
In this section, how the physical composition, namely, the relative proportions or weights
of each phase present, is determined. The first step is to determine the fraction of the
liquid present (fL), and then the fraction of the solid present could be determined by using
the EQUATION stated below:
fS = 1 - fL Equation 1

If the total alloy weighs W grams, the weight of the liquid is calculated by the
multiplying the total weight of the alloy and the fraction of the liquid present (W X f L).
Similarly, the weight of the solid is calculated by multiplying the weight of the alloy and
the fraction of the solid present (W X f S). (TRY ADDING MORE). The weight of a
certain element present could also be determined — the weight of an element in the
liquid phase is determined by the equation stated below:

Weight of an element of the alloy = W X fL X CL EQUATION

Because no element, that is one of the alloying elements in the alloy, disappears, the total
amount of the alloying element in the alloy is the amount of solid plus the amount of the
alloying element present in the liquid. The equation avowed below is the total weight of
an alloying element present at a particular instant in the phase diagram:

WCo = W X fL X CL + (W X CS (1 - fL)) Equation

From the above equation solving for the fL yields the following equations:

fL = (CS – Co) / (CS – CL) Equation

fS = (Co – CS) / (CS – CL) EQUATION

The above two equations are known as the lever rule. Note that, in order to obtain the
amount of liquid fL, measure the distance from the overall composition Co to the
composition of the solid and divide the result by the length of the tie line. The phase
whose boundary is closest to the initial composition Co is present in the greatest amount.
When applied to the 35-wt% Cu-65 wt% Ni at 1340°C in FIGURE, the fraction of the
solid calculated is .385 ((40 - 35)/(40 - 27)) and that of liquid is .615 ((35 – 27)/(40 –
27)).

In summary, for any two-phase field in binary equilibrium phase diagram the rules are:
i) Draw a horizontal tie line corresponding to the chosen temperature, extending to
the left and right phase limits from the overall composition Co. (Tie lines are only
draw in two phase fields. They make no sense in a one-phase field.)
ii) The chemical composition of the two phases is given by the ends of the tie line,
extended vertically down to, and read off, the horizontal axis.
iii) The weight fraction of each phase within the two-phase mixture is given by the
Lever Rule, Equation.
2.4 THE BINARY EUTECTIC PHASE DIAGRAM

Many pairs of elements, for example, Bi-Cd, Sn-Zn, Ag-Cu, Al-Si, etc., do not mix. The
bond between the two elements A-B is weaker than the A-A and B-B bond. Each element
can dissolve a limited amount of the other. These pairs solidify in a manner similar to Pb-
Sn whose eutectic phase diagram is illustrated in FIGURE.
FIGURE from the text

From the above figure, an observation could be made that the eutectic temperature, that is
the temperature at the eutectic point, is 183°C, and the eutectic composition, that is, the
eutectic composition at the eutectic point, is 61.9% Sn. On the left portion of FIGURE,
the diagram posses a solid solution designated as the α phase, and on the right side of
the diagram, a tin rich solid phase is designated as β . The solidus and the solvus lines
specify the maximum amount of tin that can be dissolved in the lead at each temperature.
The rules of phase analysis in single and two phase fields given previously are equally
applicable to eutectic systems and are depicted in TABLE, below:

TABLE FROM THE TEXT BOOK

The following figure illustrates the microstructures that could be formed at various
compositions when the temperature is decreased slowly.

FIGURE FROM THE TEXT

The microscopic images of the microstructures formed in the above figure are illustrated
below:

FIGURE FROM THE TEXT

2.5 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROPERTIES AND THE PHASE


DIAGRAM

The mechanical properties of an alloy can be related to the phase diagram of that
particular alloy. For, example, the following figure, FIGURE, depicts the mechanical
properties of a series of copper-nickel alloys related with the phase diagram of copper
and nickel:
FIGURE FROM PHULE
The strength of copper increases by until about 60 % Nickel is added. Pure Nickel has
higher tensile strength that pure copper. However, the maximum strength is obtained for
a Cu-60% Ni alloy, known as Monel.
3.0 APPARATUS AND PROCEDURES
This section of the report discusses the apparatus and the procedures that were used to conduct
the experiment. Conducting the experiment in two separate lab periods (i.e., on the November 3rd
and November 10th 2009) completed the experiment.

3.1 APPARATUS

The following equipment was used for the experiment:

• One (1) Pyrex test tube,

• One (1) bar of tin,

• One (1) cutter as illustrated in the figure below:

Figure: A Cutter.
• Two (2) ring stands,

• One weight scale as illustrated below in the figure:


Figure: Weighing Scale.

• One (1) thermocouple,

• One (1) striker as illustrated in the figure,

• One (1) Bunsen burner as illustrated in the figure below:

Figure: Bunsen Burner and a Striker.

• One (1) stopwatch,

• One (1) high-speed cutoff saw as illustrated below in figure:

Figure: High-Speed Cutoff Saw.


(Source: Lanning, 2005)

• One (1) belt grinder polishing machine as illustrated in the figure below:
Figure: Belt Grinder Polishing Machine.
(Source: Lanning, 2005)

• One (1) 1200 grit SiC (Silicon Carbide) paper,

• One (1) hammer,

• One (1) scanning electron microscope as illustrated in the figure:

Figure: Scanning Electron Microscope.

• One (1) computer with the Scandium software,

• One (1) jump drive,

3.2 PROCEDURES

This section lists the procedures required for the experiment to be conducted. Even
though the experiment was conducted in two different lab periods, the procedures will be
written as if the experiment was conducted in a single lab period. The experiment was
conducted at the AXFAB building at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott,
Arizona. The following procedures were used for the experiment:
1.0 The class was divided into multiple teams with two members per each team, and Dr.
Lanning assigned the team numbers.

2.0 Each individual team was asked to obtain a sheet from Dr. Lanning. The sheet
comprised of the amount of either tin or bismuth to be added into the test tube.

3.0 The team was asked to measure the appropriate amount of tin that was required to be
added into the test tube.

3.1 The measurement was done by using a weighing scale as depicted in the
figure

3.2 When the weight of tin was over or under the required amount, then small
amounts of tin were either removed or added respectively.

4.0 Once the appropriate amount of tin was obtained, the team added the tin to the
mixture of tin and bismuth from the previous team’s test tube.

5.0 The test tube was then mounted on the ring stand by using the procedures from 5.1
through 5.3:

5.1 The team placed the test tube into the ring stand.

5.2 Since the test tube was not still, that is, the test tube was shaking; the team
tightened the crew on the ring stand.

5.3 The team checked whether the ring stand and the test tube were stable or not.
If the ring stand was not stable, then the team went back to procedure 5.2, and
then followed on with the remaining procedures.

6.0 The team mounted the thermocouple on a separate ring stand.

7.0 The thermo couple was mounted vertically into the test tube.

8.0 The Bunsen burner was light up with the help of the striker.

9.0 The flame was adjusted until it was fairly small.

10.0 The test tube was placed over the Bunsen burner as illustrated in the figure below:
Figure: The Setup of the Experiment.
11.0 The team waited until the mixture completely liquefied.

11.1 During this waiting period, the team was constantly stirred the mixture
with the help of the thermocouple.

12.0 Once the mixture was liquefied, the team kept the thermocouple in a constant
position inside the liquefied mixture as illustrated below in FIGUre.

12.1 The team ensured that the thermo couple did not touch the sides or bottom
of the test tube.
13.0 The stopwatch provided by Dr. Lanning was set to zero (0) seconds.

14.0 Once the mixture had reached a temperature of 800°F, the team turned off the
Bunsen burner.

15.0 As the Bunsen burner was turned off, the team started the stopwatch to record the
temperature.

16.0 The temperature was recorded for every five seconds until the time reached eight
(8) minutes.

17.0 The temperature was recorded on the sheet that was provided by Dr. Lanning.

18.0 Once, the timer/stopwatch had reached eight (8) minutes, the team removed the
thermocouple.

18.1 To remove the thermocouple, the team lighted the Bunsen burner to liquefy
the mixture.

19.0 The temperature recorded on the sheet provided by Dr. Lanning was then put into
an Excel file.

20.0 The Excel file was emailed to Dr. Lanning. Later on, Dr. Lanning emailed another
Excel sheet with the temperature and time recorded for different configurations of tin-
bismuth alloy.

21.0 The Excel file provided by Dr. Lanning was used to create a cooling curve, and
then the phase diagram of the Bi-Sn alloy.
22.0 Later on, Dr. Lanning created multiple groups. Each group contained 3-4
members.

23.0 Two groups were assigned a piece of the mixture with different compositions.

24.0 Dr. Lanning had asked the two (2) teams to share the specimen of the mixture.

25.0 In order to share the specimen, the team cut the mixture specimen into two
different pieces by using the cutter.

26.0 Once the specimen was cut into two different peices, the two teams picked up one
of the two new mixture specimens for polishing.

26.2 A sheet of 1200 grit silicon carbde paper was obtained by the team.

26.1 The specimen was polished using a belt grinder with the 1200 grit paper for
approximately five (5) seconds.

27.0 The experiment involving micropscopy was conducated on the specimen

27.1 First the specimen was placed under the scanning electron mocroscope.
27.2 The evacuate button on the microscope button was pressed to evacuate any
particles present in the chamber.

27.3 The cut surface of the specimen was analyzed, and snapshots of the surface
were taken at a scale of fifty (50) microns and at twenty (20) kilo volts.

28.0 The images from the SEM were saved on a jump drive, and were uploaded on
another computer with the Scandium software.

29.0 The images were uploaded in the Scandium software, and were anayzed.

29.1 The work offline option was chosen as soon as the sofware was started.

29.2 The images from the SEM were cropped to eliminate the black SEM
information box from the SEM analysis.

29.2.1 The left mouse button was used to position red crop box and the
right mouse button was used to finish the crop.

29.3 The image was selected and then the thresholds were set by selecting the
autosettings tab.

29.4 The none option was selected in the background.


29.5 The fixed option was selceted in the Histogram limits group.

29.5.1 The lower limit was set to be zero (0) and the uper limit was set to
be two hundred and twenty five (225).

29.6 The number of phases entered was two (2).

29.7 The maual tab was selected to set the color thresholds.

29.8 Since the pictures were not clear, the color bar at the bottom of the picture
was manually set, which adjusted the threshold.

29.9 The images were adjusted until all the team members concurred that the
images were fine.

29.10 The phase analysis was done


29.10.1 The measure button was selected.

29.10.2 The amount of each phase by area is the output that was
generated.
4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
This section of the report, the data obtained from the two lab experiments is analyzed and
discussed. The data for the phase diagram was obtained from the cooling curves of the Bi-Sn
alloy at different compositions. Figure depicts how the data from the cooling curve was used to
plot the phase diagram.

Figure: Cooling Curve of the 100 % Bismuth or 0% Sn.

Whenever the slope of the cooling curve was zero, the temperature at that instant was taken for
the phase diagram for a particular configuration. However, in many cases, there were no slopes
that were zero. Hence, the instant where the slope changed, the temperature at that instant was
recorded for data analysis. The phase diagram was graphed from the data obtained from the
experiment and is depicted in Figure below:
Figure: Experimental Phase Diagram.

From the above figure, an observation could be made that there were no consistent data points,
that is, the there was discrepancy in data from the experiemnt. Illustrated in Figure, below is a
visual comparison between the experimental results and theoritical results for the Bi-Sn solid
solution experiment.

Figure: Experimental and Published Phase Diagram.


It may be noted, at this point, that the theoritical results for the experiment were obtained from
University of Californaia, Davis, from their website. However, another published phase diagram
is illustrated below for a better view of the published phase diagram:

Figure: Published Phase Diagram from Cambridge University.

As may be observed on Figure, there is excellent correlation between the experimental data and
the published data for the eutectic line and the right portion of the phase diagram. However, there
is not good correlation between the experimental data and the published data for the left portion
of the phase diagram. Another observation could also be made that the eutectic point from the
experimental data was estimated to be a little further away from the published eutectic point, that
is, while looking at the composition of the alloy. Nevertheless, the temperature at the eutectic
point had very close values when compared to each other. Table, below, depicts the percent
difference between the published data and the experimental data.

Table: Comparison of Experimental and Published Data.


S.No Composition Experimental Published Percent
(% Sn Weight) Temperature Temperature Difference
1 0 520 520 0
2 22 480 392 20.5
3 44 400 285 40.3
4 62 380 338 12.5
5 82 425 397 7.16
6 100 456 449 1.46
The following inferences may be drawn from Figure:

LIST

Figure, below, depicts the published value from the STEVENSONS’ college, and the
experimental data for the phase diagram.

From the above figure an observation could be made that as FIGURE was similar to FIGURE.
Table, below, depicts the percent difference between the published data and the experimental
data.
TABLE
However, the values were slightly different for the both the published values as well. Table,
below, depicts the differences between the published data that were used for comparison with the
experimental data.
TABLE
From the above table, the following could be observed:
Since the experiment was conducted in a test tube, the Sn-Bi mixture may have been susceptible
to both chemical and organic impurities from the environment. Whether or not these impurities
may have had a significant impact on the Sn-Bi phase diagram is still unknown. However, there
could have been a misreading from one of the teams while recording the data during the
experiment.
A possible source for error could have been the frequency of temperature recording while the
mixture of Sn and Bi cooled from a temperature of approximately 800 degrees Fahrenheit. An
error could only rise from a lack of consistency in the frequency of temperature recordings. All
that is required to be noticed is a slope change in the temperature-time plots and these could have
been hindered by a lack of consistency in time-temperature recordings.

The following Figure represents the backscatter imaging of a Sn-Bi solid solution of 16 weight
percentage of tin, and 84 weight percent of bismuth:
FIGURE (remember to talk about high energy stuff)

In Figure, on the previous page, the darker regions represent Sn and the lighter regions represent
Bi. This is due to the fact that Bi has a higher atomic number than Sn and, therefore, reflects
more electrons than the Sn atoms. It may be then concluded that the white lacy structure formed
around the dark roundish grains constitutes the Bi-rich α phase whereas the roundish grains
represent the Sn-rich β phase. It is evident that the more predominant β phase is the primary
phase formed during solidification and that Sn is present at higher weight percentage when
compared to Bi within the material.

Another point to be noted is the fact that the white lacy structure is not purely white, that is, this
structure, has dark spots. This is because the white region is actually a lamellar microstructure,
i.e., a mixture of α and β phases in the form of alternating platelets.

An energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) measurement on the sample yielded the following
results:
TABLE
In order to compare the above results with the published values, first a tie lie was drawn along
the 16 weight percent Sn. The vertical line in the Figure starts at the x-axis where the 16%
weight Sn starts and stops just below the eutectic line. The vertical line is illustrated in the figure.
At the ends of the tie line, the composition of each phase was noted to be the following:

i) For the α phase — 5 percent tin and 95 percent bismuth, and


ii) For the β phase — 85 percent tin and 15 percent bismuth.

Figure depicts the ends of the tie line. Table, below, compares the calculated weight percentages
of the tin and bismuth compared with the values generated from the EDS.
TABLE (REMEMBER TO TALK ABOUT VOLUME EFFECT)
The slight discrepancy between the values obtained from the EDS and the calculated values
could be due to the following:
1) Volume effect,
2) Bad scatter
3) Black stuff could be something else

The scandium software was used to perform a phase analysis on a low-magnification and a
high-magnification photograph of the images provided from the SEM. The summary of this
analysis and its comparison with the theoretical results is summarized on TABLE, below. It is
assumed that the weight percent of each phase may be approximated as the area percent of
each phase as provided by the scandium software.
TABLE
It may be observed from the above table that there is decent agreement between the
experimental and expected α and β phase results.

5.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

5.1 CONCLUSIONS
The following conclusions could be summarized from the Sn-Bi phase diagram
experiment:

i)

ii)

5.2 RECOMMENDATIONS

The following recommendations could be made for the future labs regarding the Sn-Bi
phase diagram experiment:

6.0 REFERENCES

Askeland, D.R., & Phulé, P.P. (2007). The Science and Engineering of Materials: Fifth Edition.
Toronto: Thomson.
Fischer, T. (2009). Material Science For Engineering Students: First Edition. Canada: Academic
Print of Elsevier (Academic Press).

Lanning Jr. D. (2005). Lab Results, Data and Photos. Photos posted on T-drive, under ES321
Folder, and inside Lab Photos Folder archived at T:\ES321\Lab Photos.

Lanning Jr. D. (2006). Lab Results, Data and Photos. Photos posted on T-drive, under ES321
Folder, and inside Lab Photos Folder archived at T:\ES321\Lab Photos.
7.0 ATTRIBUTIONS

Role Performer
Laboratory Instructor Dr. David Lanning
Experiment of the Sn-Bi Phase Diagram Virat Mathur
Sreyes Kadapala
SEM images and Scandium Images Arpit Mehta
Virat Mathur
Sreyes Kadapala

8.0 APPENDIX A: RAW DATA

9.0 APPENDIX B: SAMPLE CALCULATIONS

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