Precipitation Hardening/Dispersion
Hardening
Precipitation Hardening
Precipitation Hardening
Whether introduced as insoluble particles in
powder compaction (dispersion strengthening)
or
As precipitates in a solid state reaction
(precipitation or age hardening)
Dispersion strengthening
The increase in hardness and tensile strength
is due to the,
Interaction of the stress field around the
particle with the stress fields of moving
dislocation
and
Due to the physical obstruction by the hard
particles to the moving dislocation
The strength and hardness in some metal
alloys may be enhanced by the presence of
extremely small and uniformly dispersed
particles within the original phase matrix.
Dispersion strengthening
The resistance to motion of dislocations is
increased by introducing finely divided hard
particles of second phase in the soft matrix.
Dispersion strengthening
The extent of strengthening/hardening is
depends on
The amount of second phase particles
The characteristics and properties of second
phase
The particle size , shape and distribution
 Dispersion strengthening
Second phase particles in the form of very
small uniformly distributed will block
dislocation motion extremely well, and
strengthen the material.
Dispersion strengthening
Example:
Put fine particles of Al2O3 in aluminum:

This is the basis for all high strength metal

alloys.
Iron-base, nickel, titanium alloys all employ
second phases to achieve high strength.

Precipitation Hardening Precipitation Hardening

process in which small particles of a new Also known as Age Hardeningbecause
phase precipitate in matrix which harden hardness often increases with time (even at
material by forming impediments to room temperature Natural Aging)
dislocation motion.

Precipitation Hardening
Precipitation Hardening
Requirements
an appreciable maximum solubility of one
component in the other
a solubility limit that rapidly decreases in
concentration of major component with
decreasing temperature
 Precipitation Hardening Precipitation Hardening
Precipitation hardening is accomplished with Step I :Solution heat treatment
two separate heat treatments Step II : Precipitation heat treatment

Step I :Solution heat treatment Quenching

Heating composition Co to To until all B atoms Then the alloy is quenched (rapidly cooled)to
dissolved into ( i.e. phase is removed) and T1 so as to prevent precipitation of any
one phase is obtained. phase.

A meta-stable situation occurs but diffusion

rates are often too slow at T1to allow phase
precipitation for long periods of time.

Step II : Precipitation heat treatment Step II : Precipitation heat treatment

Supersaturated a solid heated to T2 where
kinetics allow for controlled diffusion of B to
form phase.
Forms finely divided phase.

Finally, alloy is cooled to stop precipitation.

 Precipitation Hardening Precipitation Hardening

Example: Al alloys (Al-4%Cu alloy) Al-4%Cu alloy

Precipitation Hardening & Over aging

Al-4%Cu alloy Precipitation Hardening

2003 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning is a trademark used herein under license.
 Precipitation Hardening
Guinier-Preston (GP) zones - Tiny clusters of
atoms that precipitate from the matrix in the
early stages of the age-hardening process.

Precipitation Hardening Precipitation Hardening

Precipitation hardening is well understood. In
essence, dislocations can deal with
precipitates in two ways.

(a) A noncoherent precipitate has no relationship with the crystal structure of the
surrounding matrix. (b) A coherent precipitate forms so that there is a definite
relationship between the precipitates and the matrixs crystal structure.

Precipitation Hardening Precipitation Hardening

Small and coherent precipitates are simply If "cutting" would be the only mechanism, the
"cut" like this: hardness would go up about linearly with time
since the precipitates get bigger and bigger.

The stress needed for cutting increases with

the size of the precipitate
 Precipitation Hardening Orowan mechanism
However, for big precipitates the second
mechanism called "Orowan mechanism"
becomes operative .

Orowan mechanism Precipitation Hardening

The effect of "big" precipitates does not In essence, we need to calculate the rate of
depend on its size, only the average distance nucleation, how many nuclei form per second,
between the precipitates is important. and how fast they grow..
It is related to the density

Precipitation Hardening Precipitation Hardening

The two processes involved are opposed: This gives us already a hint that you want to
At low temperatures you form a lot of nuclei go for some special medium temperature if
per second, but they grow very sluggishly due you want things to happen fast
to slow diffusion.
At high temperatures it is the other way
around.
 Precipitation Hardening
This gives a hint that you want to go for some
special medium temperature if you want
things to happen fast.