General Metallurgy Course

Lesson 1 • Crystal Structures and Unit Cells

Introduces BCC, FCC, and HCP lattice types and their geometric parameters. Links crystal geometry to density, packing efficiency, and slip systems.

Lesson 2 • Atomic Bonding in Metals

Covers metallic, ionic, and covalent bonding with emphasis on the electron-sea model. Provides the atomic foundation for understanding conductivity and ductility.

Lesson 3 • Miller Indices and Crystallographic Planes

Teaches notation for planes and directions within crystal lattices. Enables students to identify slip planes critical to plastic deformation analysis.

Lesson 4 • Crystal Defects and Imperfections

Surveys point, line, and planar defects and their origin. Connects defect density to mechanical strength and diffusion behavior covered in later chapters.

Lesson 1 • Hardness Testing Methods

Compares Brinell, Rockwell, Vickers, and Knoop hardness scales and their applications. Relates hardness values to tensile strength for rapid material screening.

Lesson 2 • Fatigue, Creep, and Fracture Basics

Introduces cyclic loading failure, time-dependent deformation, and fracture modes. Prepares students for failure analysis topics addressed in advanced chapters.

Lesson 3 • Stress, Strain, and Elastic Behavior

Defines engineering and true stress-strain relationships and Hooke's Law. Provides the quantitative language used throughout all subsequent mechanical analysis.

Lesson 4 • Plastic Deformation Mechanisms

Explains dislocation motion, slip, and twinning as sources of permanent deformation. Connects crystal defect concepts from Chapter 1 to macroscopic yielding behavior.

Lesson 1 • Microstructure Prediction from Phase Diagrams

Applies lever rule and reaction analysis to predict phase fractions and microstructures. Bridges equilibrium diagram reading to real alloy processing decisions.

Lesson 2 • Introduction to Phase Equilibria

Defines phases, components, and degrees of freedom using the Gibbs phase rule. Establishes thermodynamic vocabulary needed to read all subsequent phase diagrams.

Lesson 3 • Binary Isomorphous Systems

Analyzes complete solid-solution systems such as Cu-Ni. Students practice tie-line construction and lever rule calculations for liquid-solid equilibria.

Lesson 4 • Eutectic and Eutectoid Systems

Covers eutectic, eutectoid, peritectic, and peritectoid reactions with microstructure outcomes. Provides the framework for understanding the iron-carbon system in the next section.

Lesson 1 • Mechanisms of Solid-State Diffusion

Distinguishes vacancy, interstitial, and grain-boundary diffusion pathways. Connects crystal defect knowledge from Chapter 1 to atomic mobility in solids.

Lesson 2 • Industrial Diffusion Processes

Applies diffusion theory to carburizing, nitriding, and doping operations. Demonstrates how process time and temperature are selected to achieve target case depths.

Lesson 3 • Diffusivity and Arrhenius Behavior

Relates diffusion coefficient to temperature via activation energy and pre-exponential factor. Students use Arrhenius plots to extract diffusion parameters from experimental data.

Lesson 1 • Hardenability and Jominy Testing

Quantifies a steel's ability to harden through section thickness using the Jominy end-quench test. Enables alloy selection for components with specific cross-section hardness requirements.

Lesson 2 • Annealing and Normalizing Processes

Distinguishes full annealing, process annealing, spheroidizing, and normalizing by purpose and cycle. Prepares students to specify softening treatments for machining and forming.

Lesson 3 • Austenite Formation and Grain Control

Covers austenitizing temperature selection, soaking time, and grain growth kinetics. Establishes the starting microstructure required for all subsequent transformation treatments.

Lesson 4 • TTT and CCT Diagram Interpretation

Explains isothermal and continuous cooling transformation diagrams and their construction. Students trace cooling paths to predict resulting phases and hardness values.

Lesson 5 • Tempering and Stress Relief

Covers tempering stages, carbide precipitation, and toughness recovery in quenched steels. Teaches the hardness-toughness trade-off managed through tempering temperature.

Lesson 1 • Precipitation and Age Hardening

Details solution treatment, quenching, and aging steps that produce coherent precipitates. Covers peak aging, overaging, and the role of precipitate size and spacing.

Lesson 2 • Grain Boundary Strengthening

Applies the Hall-Petch relationship to quantify yield strength increase with decreasing grain size. Covers grain refinement methods including thermomechanical processing and microalloying.

Lesson 3 • Work Hardening and Recovery

Quantifies dislocation density increase during cold work and its effect on flow stress. Covers recovery, recrystallization, and grain growth as restoration mechanisms.

Lesson 4 • Solid-Solution Strengthening

Explains how solute atoms create lattice strain fields that impede dislocation motion. Quantifies strengthening increment as a function of solute concentration and misfit.

Lesson 1 • Copper and Copper Alloys

Surveys brass, bronze, and cupronickel compositions, properties, and applications. Emphasizes dezincification, stress corrosion, and selection criteria for electrical and marine use.

Lesson 2 • Nickel-Based Superalloys

Explains gamma-prime precipitation strengthening and oxidation resistance in Ni superalloys. Addresses directional solidification and single-crystal processing for turbine blade applications.

Lesson 3 • Magnesium, Zinc, and Specialty Alloys

Covers lightweight Mg alloys, Zn die-casting alloys, and refractory metals for extreme environments. Provides a comparative overview of density, cost, and performance trade-offs.

Lesson 4 • Aluminum Alloys and Temper Designations

Covers wrought and cast aluminum alloy series, temper codes, and age-hardening response. Connects precipitation hardening theory from Chapter 6 to commercial Al-Cu and Al-Mg-Si alloys.

Lesson 1 • Electrochemical Corrosion Fundamentals

Establishes the electrochemical cell model, standard electrode potentials, and galvanic series. Enables prediction of corrosion tendency when dissimilar metals are coupled in service.

Lesson 2 • Non-Destructive Testing Methods

Surveys radiography, ultrasonic, magnetic particle, dye penetrant, and eddy current techniques. Matches each NDT method to detectable flaw type, material, and geometry constraints.

Lesson 3 • Fracture Mechanics and Toughness

Introduces stress intensity factor, fracture toughness, and the LEFM approach to crack propagation. Provides quantitative tools for setting inspection intervals and critical flaw sizes.

Lesson 4 • Failure Analysis Methodology

Presents a systematic investigation sequence from visual examination to root cause identification. Students practice interpreting fracture surfaces, hardness maps, and chemical analysis data.

Lesson 5 • Forms of Corrosion and Prevention

Identifies uniform, pitting, crevice, intergranular, and stress corrosion cracking modes. Matches each corrosion form to appropriate material selection or surface protection strategy.