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Chapter 9: Problem 29

What is the difference between a phase and a microconstituent?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: The primary differences between a phase and a microconstituent are that a phase refers to a large, homogenous region in a material with uniform chemical composition and structure, while a microconstituent is a small, distinct portion with different structure or composition, often affecting the material's properties locally. A phase can be composed of one or more microconstituents.

Step by step solution

01

Define phase

A phase is a chemically and structurally homogenous portion of a material system that is separated from other portions by distinct physical boundaries. In simple terms, it is a region in a material with uniform chemical composition and structure.
02

Define microconstituent

A microconstituent is a small portion of a material that has a distinct structure or composition, which is different from the matrix material. It's often present as a secondary phase and typically affects the material's properties on a local scale.
03

Compare and contrast the terms

The primary difference between a phase and a microconstituent is that a phase refers to a large, homogenous region in a material, while a microconstituent is a small, distinct portion that may or may not be part of the primary phase in a material. A phase can be composed of one or more microconstituents.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

What is the proeutectoid phase for an iron-carbon alloy in which the mass fractions of total ferrite and total cementite are \(0.92\) and \(0.08\), respectively? Why?

Compute the mass fractions of proeutectoid ferrite and pearlite that form in an iron-carbon alloy containing \(0.25 \mathrm{wt} \% \mathrm{C}\).

Often, the properties of multiphase alloys may be approximated by the relationship $$ E(\text { alloy })=E_{\alpha} V_{\alpha}+E_{\beta} V_{\beta} $$ where \(E\) represents a specific property (modulus of elasticity, hardness, etc.), and \(V\) is the volume fraction. The subscripts \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) denote the existing phases or microconstituents. Employ this relationship to determine the approximate Brinell hardness of a \(99.80\) wt \% Fe-0.20 wt \% C alloy. Assume Brinell hardnesses of 80 and 280 for ferrite and pearlite, respectively, and that volume fractions may be approximated by mass fractions.

Is it possible to have an iron-carbon alloy for which the mass fractions of total cementite and pearlite are \(0.039\) and 0.417, respectively? Why or why not?

A hypothetical A-B alloy of composition \(55 \mathrm{wt} \%\) B-45 \(\mathrm{wt} \% \mathrm{~A}\) at some temperature is found to consist of mass fractions of \(0.5\) for both \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) phases. If the composition of the \(\beta\) phase is \(90 \mathrm{wt} \%\) B-10 \(\mathrm{wt} \% \mathrm{~A}\), what is the composition of the \(\alpha\) phase?
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