MCEN

2024: Materials Science

Fall 2014

Homework Assignment #5

(Due Wednesday, October 15th at the start of class)

1. Calculate the activation energy for vacancy formation in aluminum, given that the
equilibrium number of vacancies at 500 C (773 K) is 7.57 x 1023 m-3. The density of
aluminum is 2.62 g/cm3.

Does the activation energy for vacancy formation in aluminum change with
increasing temperature?

Would you expect the activation energy for vacancy formation in a typical ceramic
to be on average higher or lower than that for aluminum? Explain.

2. Using the following data that relate to the formation of Schottky defects in some
oxide ceramic (having the chemical formula MO), determine the following:
a. The energy for defect formation (in eV)
b. The equilibrium number of Schottky defects per cubic meter at 1000 C
c. The identity of the oxide (i.e., what is the metal M?)
T (C)
750
1000
1250

(g/cm3)
5.50
5.44
5.37

Ns (m-3)
9.21 x 1019
?
5.0 x 1022

d. Would you expect the energy for defect formation calculated above change
for a differently composed ceramic? Briefly justify your response.
3. If cupric oxide (CuO) is exposed to reducing atmospheres at elevated temperatures,
some of the Cu2+ ions will become Cu+.

a. Under these conditions, name one crystalline defect that you would expect to
form in order to maintain charge neutrality.
b. How many Cu+ ions are required for the creation of each defect?
c. How would you express the chemical formula for this nonstoichiometric
material?

4. Atomic radius, crystal structure, electronegativity, and the most common valence
(oxidation state) are given in the following table for several elements; for those that
are nonmetals, only atomic radii are indicated. Which of these elements would you
expect to form the following with copper?
a. A substitutional solid solution having complete solubility
b. A substitutional solid solution of incomplete solubility
1

MCEN 2024: Materials Science

Fall 2014

c. An interstitial solid solution of incomplete solubility

5. Suppose that Li2O is added as an impurity to CaO. If the Li+ substitutes for Ca2+,
what kind of vacancies would you expect to form? How many of these vacancies are
created for every Li+ added?

6. For an FCC single crystal, would you expect the surface energy for a (100) plane to
be greater or less than that for a (111) plane? Justify your answer. (Hint: The
planar atomic structure and density are important.)
7. Gallium arsenide (GaAs) and gallium phosphide (GaP) both have the zinc blende
crystal structure and are soluble in one another at all concentrations. Determine the
concentration in weight percent of GaP that must be added to GaAs to yield a unit
cell edge length of 0.5570 nm. The densities of GaAs and GaP are 5.316 and 4.130
g/cm3, respectively.