Materials Science and Engineering: Chapter 11. Thermodynamic Databases and Phase Diagrams

The use of thermodynamic databases permits the calculation of equilibrium phase diagrams of many important industrial systems. An assessed thermodynamic database based on the results of decades of conducting experiments and calorimetric measurements is at the core of all industrial and scientific enquiries. An internally consistent database is assessed (built) by using the thermochemical (calorimetric) data in producing the results of phase equilibrium experiments. The procedure is usually referred to as the Calphad method. In equilibrium calculations, the temperature and composition variables are standard but the inclusion of the important variable pressure requires more complicated models for equations of state. The latter require pressure–volume–temperature data on materials that are not so common. Similarly, while there is ample data on binary and some ternary solutions, the multicomponent and multisite models become very cumbersome to deal with. Existing thermodynamic data permit us to draw many interesting phase diagrams such as the binary silicides (Mn–Si, W–Si), and carbothermal reduction of silica and iron at extreme pressures. Many of the currently existing phase diagrams are not based on actual in situ crystal structures at the appropriate temperature or pressure. An example of Al–Fe is given.