Lecture 29

Diffusion in
crystalline solids

Announcements
Next class will be on 19th Oct., Wednesday
No class on 14th and 18th Oct.
Minor-II Syllabus: Defects, phase diagrams
and diffusion (Lecture#16 to 29)
Minor-II: Seating plan will be uploaded on
Moodle. Strictly adhere to that.
Reach examination room at least 10 mins prior
to exam

Recap
For diffusion: Thermal energy and concentration gradient
Mathematical models to describe diffusion
Ficks Ist law:

dn
dc
DA
dt
dx

Flux proportional to
concentration gradient

Steady state diffusion: J#f(x,t)

2c
c
Ficks IInd law: D 2
x
t
Non steady state diffusion: J = f(x,t)

c

D 2
x
t

2
exp

u
du

Exp( u2)

Erf

x
c( x, t ) A B erf

2 Dt

Area

Properties of Error function

Erf () = 1
Erf (-) = -1
Erf (0) = 0
Erf (-x) = -Erf (x)
If required we can provide error function table

Error function table

Diffusion couple
Cu-Zn & pure Cu welded together and heated to high temperature
t2 > t1 | c(x,t1)

t1 > 0 | c(x,t1)

t = 0 | c(x,0)

Concentration

C2

C1
C(+x, 0) = C1
C(x, 0) = C2

Cavg
t

x
A = (C1 + C2)/2
B = (C2 C1)/2

Profile of concentration can be

deduced at any time of interest

Dependence of D on T and
Concentration: Experimentally
and theoretically

Diffusion and temperature

Diffusivity increases with T.

Experimental Data:
D has exp. dependence on T
Recall: Vacancy does also!
Dinterstitial >> Dsubstitutional
Cu in Cu
C in -Fe
Al in Al
C in -Fe
Fe in -Fe
Fe in -Fe
Zn in Cu

Atomistic mechanisms of Diffusion

Interstitial diffusion
1. Interstitial Mechanism

e.g. C in Fe

Thermal energy provides oscillations for atoms to jump in all

directions, it is the gradient in concentration that decides
the direction

Substitutional diffusion
2. Vacancy Mechanism

e.g. B or P in Si

applies to substitutional impurities

atoms exchange with vacancies
rate depends on:
--number of vacancies
--activation energy to exchange.

3. Direct interchange
4. Ring mechanism

Diffusion Application
Surface is often the most important part of the
component, which is prone to degradation
Surface hardening of steel components like gears is done
by carburizing or nitriding

Diffuse carbon atoms

into the host iron atoms
at the surface.
Example of interstitial
diffusion is a case
hardened gear.

Diffusion Application
Doping Silicon with P for n-type semiconductors:
Process:
1. Deposit P rich layers on surface.

silicon

2. Heat it.
3. Result: Doped semiconductor P regions.

silicon