MECH 6661 - Thermodynamics of Materials and Phase Equilibria

This course emphasizes the application of thermodynamics to understand materials. It will focus on thermodynamic modeling of phase diagrams. The course seeks to teach students the application of thermodynamics on real problems, how to estimate where basic information is scarce and how to interpret thermodynamic information in the context of case studies. The course will discuss thermodynamic data gathering and the use of computer programs for thermodynamic optimization. Students will gain hands-on-experience for using thermodynamic software (such as FactSage and WinPhaD) which contain programs for the optimization, calculation and plotting of binary and ternary phase diagrams. For more info, please check the Course Outline.

Lecture Notes

• Lecture 1 - Introduction
• Lecture 2- 1^st Law of Thermodynamics
• Lecture 3- Entropy
• Lecture 4- The Four Laws that Drive the Universe - A presentation based on Etkin's Book
• Addendum - Four Laws and Free Energy based on Atkin's Book
• Lecture 5- Free Energy
• Lecture 6- Binary Solutions
• Lecture 7- Binary Phase Diagram I
• Lecture 8- Binary Phase Diagram II→ Revised
• Lecture 9- Thermodynamic Modeling
• Lecture 10- Multicomponent Systems
• Lecture 11- Ternary Phase Diagrams

Projects

2011 Projects

• Thermodynamic Modeling of Mn-Nd phase diagram
• Some Interfacial Thermodynamics Issues Involved In Water Erosion Project
• Thermodynamics aspects of Ti and Ti alloys nitriding
• Thermodynamic calculation of Al-Mn-Zn system
• Age Hardening, Electrical Resistivity and Thermal Analysis
• Thermodynamics Aspects of Hydrogen Storage in Metals
• The Application of Thermodynamics in Low Plasticity Burnishing

Handouts and Suggested Readings

• Lecture 1:

     - A History of Thermodynamics-the Doctrine of Energy and Entropy - Ingo Müller, 2007.
     - Degrees Kelvin - David Lindley, 2005
     - Boltzmanns Atom - David Lindley, 2001.

• Lecture 2: The Use of Phase Diagrams and Thermodynamic Databases for Electronic Materials - Liu, 2003.
• Lecture 3: Four Laws That Drive the Universe (Related presentation) - Peter Atkins, 2007.
• Lecture 4: Four Laws That Drive the Universe (Related presentation on Free Energy) - Peter Atkins, 2007.
• Lecture 6: Guidelines for thermodynamic optimization (Related paper)- Kumar, 2001
• Lecture 9: On the slopes of phase boundaries (Related presentation) - Ahmad Mostafa, Fall 2011.