Course G - Materials under extreme conditions Flashcards
define pressure and give the expression for pressure at T = 0K
Pressure, P = Force, F / Area, A
P = -dU/dV
at 0K
units = Nm^-2 = Pa
what is 1atm and 1bar
1atm = 101325 Pa
1bar = 100000 Pa
define Gibbs free energy and give the differential form
G = H-TS
dG = dH - TdS - SdT
dH = δq + VdP
δq = TdS at equil.
so
dG = Vdp - SdT
from the differential form of G, what can we say about a phase transformation at a constant pressure (varying temp.)
hence what can we say about which phase is favoured at higher temperatures
dG = VdP - SdT
at const. pres.
dP = 0
so
dG = -SdT
(∂G / ∂T)p = -S
hence at low temps, entropy –> 0
slope of G-T graph always < 0 as S always > 0
“The phase of higher entropy is favoured at higher temperatures” (to minimise G)
at a constant temperature, what can we say about the gradient of a G-P graph
hence what can we say about which phase is favoured at higher pressures
at constant temperature dT = 0
dG = Vdp - SdT = VdP
so
(∂G/∂P)T = V
hence the phase of lower volume is favoured by higher pressure (to minimise G)
what do pressure-temperature phase diagrams show
- G,P,T can all be plotted on a 3D plot by a curved plane
- G planes for 2 phases intersect on a line
- the projection of this line onto the P-T plane gives the phase boundary on a P-T phase diagram
- they show which phase is thermodynamically most stable for a given composition
derive the Clausius-Clapeyron equation
at all points on a phase boundary of a P-T diagram, the free energies of the two phases will be equal
the changes in free energy for a given change in temp/pres will also be eqaual
dGα = Vα dP - Sα dT
dGβ = Vβ dP - Sβ dT
Δ(dG) = ΔVdp - ΔSdt = 0
dp/dt = ΔS/ΔV
ΔS = Sα - Sβ
ΔV = Vα - Vβ
explain how the Clausius-Clapeyron eq. can be used to help predict phase boundary lines on a P-T phase diagram, what assumptions are we making
- the Clausius - Clapeyron eq. gives us the gradient of the phase boundary on the P-T diagram
- if we know any point on the phase boundary, we can deduce the equation of the line
- this assumes ΔS and ΔV are constants over different temps and pressures
- this is a reasonable estimate
what are the 2 main methods for determining a P-T phase diagram experimentally
1) Hold sample at given P,T and determine phase ‘in situ’ - difficult
2) Equilibrate sample at given T,S, quench to RTP and then determine/identify phase
- easier
- cannot be used for kinetically fast transitions
how does the piston/cylinder device work as experimental apparatus for determining P-T diagrams, give advs. disadvs.
- original method
- piston exerts pressure on sample
- heaters can be added to change temp
- materials of piston determine max. pres
how does the opposed anvil device work as experimental apparatus for determining P-T diagrams, give advs. disadvs.
- Anvils (Tungsten carbide) concentrate force onto a small area (high pres.)
- a gasket applies an external constraint to prevent extrusion
- they can be used with a neutron/synchotron x-ray sourse
- heating through inserted heating elements
how does the multi-anvil device work as experimental apparatus for determining P-T diagrams, give advs. disadvs.
- similar to opposed anvil devices
- but now 4,6 or 8 anvils applying pressure
- truncated tungsten carbide or sintered diamond anvils
- heater encoportated
Advs:
- large sample sizes can be used
- good control
Disadvs:
- difficult to observe samples in situ
how does the diamond anvil cell device work as experimental apparatus for determining P-T diagrams, give advs. disadvs.
- sample squeezed betwen 2 diamonds, heated with IR laser for high temps or heater for moderate temps
Advs:
- V high temps
- good in situ measurements
Disadvs:
- sample sizes limited by size of diamonds
how does pulsed-laser implosions work as experimental apparatus for determining P-T diagrams
- pulsed lasers for short times focused on sample
- this gives V V high pres. and temps.
how can ΔS be calculated for a transition (2 methods)
1) use ΔS = ΔH / Teq
for transition
2) use heat capacity from 0K —> T using
Cp = T dS/dT
and remembering to account for phase transitions’ latent heat
what is the effect of high pressures on molecular materials/solids
- molecules are bound by VDW forces
- under high pressure it can become solid, this is where it is still molecular but just ordered
- under V high pressure the intermolecular distances can become similar to the intramolecular distances so its molecular identity is lost and it become more like a metal or polymer
examples include iodine at high temps
what is a reconstructive phase transition, what does it include/require
Reconstructive phase transitions are phase transitions under pressure between two structures that are not closely related:
- requires breaking/reforming bonds
- thermally activated, leads to metastable phases
- require nucleation/growth of new phase
- kinetics are important
explain what occurs in the reconstructive phase transformation of NaCl and MgO
- at RTP, both NaCl and MgO are fcc with an NaCl structure
- at higher pressures, both become the cubic p CsCl structure
- this increases number of nearest neighbours from 6 to 8, higher packing efficiency
what occurs in the reconstructive phase transition of Mg2SiO4
how does this link to earthquakes
- at RTP rocks = brittle, this can cause slip and earthquakes
- deep in mantle, there are high temps and pressures, this means plastic flow of rocks and deep-focus earthquakes cause by a pressure-induced phase transition
- this is because there is a volume contraction of 8%
- olivine exists metastably far beyond equil temp/pres.
- in the uppermost layer the stable rock (Mg2SiO4) form is olivine
- at high pressures and temps in mantle, the spinel phase is more stable
- both are made of SiO4 tetrahedra and MgO6 octahedra with Si cations in tetrahedral sites and Mg cations in octahedral sites
- Olivine = hcp oxygen lattice, orthorhombic
- Spinel = ccp oxygen lattice, cubic F
what occurs in the graphite-diamond transformation i.e. give the conditions
Diamond is metastable but the activation energy is very high so at RTP the transformation back to graphite takes a long time
- at very high temps and pressures (5GPa,1500 celcius) diamonds are thermodynamically stable
- this generally occurs at about 300km depths but they can be brought to the surface by volcanoes
what is the RTP structure of Boron Nitride, what structure does it form under high temps and pressures
- at RTP, BN has hexagonal form like graphite
- at high pressures and temps it transforms to sphalerite structure like diamond
what is the asymmetry between freezing and melting
- when freezing there is a barrier to nucleation which allows for supercooling
- when melting there is no such barrier so melting begins immediately
outline the Lindemann and Born theories of melting and explain what actually happens
Lindemann:
- melting occurs when avr. amplitude of atomic vibrations reaches critical fraction of interatomic spacing
Born:
- melting when elastic shear modulus = 0
- this predicts mechanical melting which is wrong
Actual:
- melting begins at solid surface and works inwards
- at Tm, solid/liquid coexist with well-defined interface
why for most materials is surface melting found at temperatures < Tm
because:
γsv > γls + γlv
i.e. it is more energetically favourable to have a solid-liquid interface AND a liquid-vapour interface than just a solid-vapour interface
- this means the crystal is wet by its own melt so there is no barrier to nucleation
how can we consider the melting of small particles in terms of r*
r* = -2 γ(ls) / ΔSv(Tm-T)
this means:
- Well below Tm the crystal/nucleus is stable as the value of r* at which melting occurs (i.e. not stable nucleation) is V small
- as T approaches Tm, the value of r* that is stable increases i.e. the value of r* at which melting occurs increases
- when r* > r, the particle melts
give the expression for the supercooling at which melting occurs for a particle of radius r
ΔT = -2 γ(ls) / ΔSv r
hence greater r = lower ΔT so higher effective melting point
what are the three things that can be done to suppress surface melting/ observe superheating
1) ensure the centre of the crystal is hotter than the surface:
- internal melting
- dendritic melting can occur
2) coat crystal with higher mpt material:
- ensures no surface liquid layer
- this means the limit to the stability of the crystal is when liquid starts to nucleate within the crystal
3) superfast heating (about 10^12 Ks^-1)
- nucleation is kinetic so takes time
- so it can be prevented through superfast heating
define creep
“Creep is defined as time-dependent permanent deformation (plastic) of a material under the action of a stress σ(applied) where
σ(applied) < σy”
give the three factors that creep rate depends on
- material
- applied stress
- homologous temperature