Metallurgy Course

Lesson 1 • Crystal Structures in Metals

Examines BCC, FCC, and HCP unit cells and their packing efficiency. Links crystal geometry to density, ductility, and slip system availability.

Lesson 2 • Imperfections and Defects in Crystals

Identifies point, line, and planar defects and their origin during solidification. Connects defect density to strength, diffusion rate, and failure susceptibility.

Lesson 3 • Classification of Metals and Alloys

Distinguishes ferrous, non-ferrous, and refractory metal families and their alloy systems. Enables accurate material selection vocabulary used throughout the course.

Lesson 4 • Introduction to Mechanical Properties

Defines stress, strain, hardness, toughness, and fatigue resistance as measurable material descriptors. Establishes the property framework referenced in every subsequent chapter.

Lesson 1 • Solidification and Microsegregation

Describes nucleation, dendritic growth, and solute redistribution during solidification. Explains how cooling rate creates compositional gradients affecting final properties.

Lesson 2 • Thermodynamic Principles of Phase Stability

Introduces Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, and entropy as drivers of phase stability. Grounds phase diagram interpretation in thermodynamic reasoning rather than memorisation.

Lesson 3 • Iron-Carbon Phase Diagram in Depth

Analyses the Fe-C system from pure iron to 6.67 wt% carbon, covering all invariant reactions. Directly enables steel and cast iron microstructure prediction.

Lesson 4 • Reading Binary Phase Diagrams

Teaches liquidus, solidus, solvus lines, and two-phase regions in binary systems. Students extract phase identity, composition, and fraction from any diagram point.

Lesson 1 • TTT and CCT Diagram Interpretation

Reads time-temperature-transformation and continuous cooling transformation diagrams for steels. Students select cooling paths to achieve targeted microstructures such as martensite or bainite.

Lesson 2 • Fick's Laws and Diffusion Calculations

Applies Fick's first and second laws to steady-state and transient diffusion problems. Enables quantitative prediction of concentration profiles in carburising and nitriding.

Lesson 3 • Mechanisms of Atomic Diffusion

Explains vacancy, interstitial, and grain boundary diffusion pathways and their activation energies. Establishes the physical basis for all thermally driven microstructural changes.

Lesson 4 • Nucleation and Growth Kinetics

Models classical nucleation theory and interface-controlled growth rates for solid-state phases. Connects thermodynamic driving force to the time required for transformation completion.

Lesson 1 • Strengthening Mechanisms in Metals

Covers solid solution, work hardening, grain refinement, and precipitation strengthening strategies. Provides the mechanistic toolkit for alloy design decisions in later chapters.

Lesson 2 • Plastic Deformation and Dislocation Motion

Explains slip, twinning, and dislocation glide as plastic deformation mechanisms. Connects critical resolved shear stress to macroscopic yield strength.

Lesson 3 • Fracture Mechanics Fundamentals

Introduces stress intensity factor, fracture toughness, and Griffith crack theory for brittle and ductile fracture. Enables critical flaw size calculation for structural integrity assessment.

Lesson 4 • Fatigue and Creep Behaviour

Characterises S-N curves, fatigue crack propagation, and creep deformation under sustained load. Applies Paris law and Larson-Miller parameter to service life estimation.

Lesson 1 • Tempering and Retained Austenite

Describes tempering stages, carbide precipitation, and retained austenite transformation during reheating. Balances hardness reduction against toughness improvement for service requirements.

Lesson 2 • Annealing and Normalising Processes

Distinguishes full annealing, process annealing, and normalising by temperature range and cooling rate. Explains how each cycle relieves stress, refines grain size, or restores ductility.

Lesson 3 • Heat Treatment Defects and Quality Control

Identifies quench cracking, decarburisation, distortion, and soft spots as common heat treatment defects. Applies corrective process adjustments and inspection methods to ensure conformance.

Lesson 4 • Quenching and Hardenability

Covers quench media selection, cooling rate gradients, and the Jominy end-quench test for hardenability. Links alloy composition to depth of hardening in cross-sections.

Lesson 1 • Nickel Superalloys for High Temperature

Analyses gamma-prime strengthening, directional solidification, and single-crystal casting in nickel superalloys. Addresses oxidation resistance coatings and creep life prediction.

Lesson 2 • Magnesium and Zinc Alloy Applications

Reviews lightweight magnesium die casting alloys and zinc pressure die casting systems. Evaluates corrosion protection strategies and recyclability for automotive and consumer applications.

Lesson 3 • Titanium Alloys and Phase Classification

Distinguishes alpha, beta, and alpha-beta titanium alloys by microstructure and processing response. Highlights specific strength, biocompatibility, and corrosion resistance advantages.

Lesson 4 • Aluminium Alloys and Temper Designations

Covers wrought and cast aluminium series, temper codes, and age-hardening response. Connects composition to corrosion resistance, strength, and weldability trade-offs.

Lesson 1 • Protective Coatings and Surface Treatments

Compares organic coatings, metallic platings, conversion coatings, and thermal spray for barrier protection. Evaluates adhesion, porosity, and service environment compatibility.

Lesson 2 • Electrochemical Fundamentals of Corrosion

Establishes half-cell reactions, standard electrode potentials, and the galvanic series for metals. Provides the electrochemical framework for diagnosing all corrosion forms.

Lesson 3 • Corrosion Rate Measurement and Prediction

Applies Tafel extrapolation, linear polarisation resistance, and weight loss methods to quantify corrosion rate. Converts electrochemical data to penetration rate for service life estimation.

Lesson 4 • Cathodic Protection and Inhibitors

Designs impressed current and sacrificial anode cathodic protection systems for buried and submerged structures. Selects chemical inhibitors by adsorption mechanism and environment compatibility.

Lesson 1 • Metallographic Examination Methods

Covers sectioning, mounting, grinding, polishing, and etching for optical and electron microscopy. Reveals microstructural evidence of overheating, decarburisation, and improper heat treatment.

Lesson 2 • Quality Systems and Corrective Action

Integrates statistical process control, material certification, and corrective action reporting into quality assurance. Aligns metallurgical practice with industry quality management requirements.

Lesson 3 • Failure Analysis Methodology

Presents the systematic investigation sequence from evidence collection through root cause determination. Establishes a repeatable framework applicable to all failure modes encountered in practice.

Lesson 4 • Fractographic Analysis Techniques

Interprets fracture surface features including beach marks, chevron patterns, and dimples using SEM. Links fracture morphology to loading mode, environment, and material condition.