Nonsteady-State Diffusion

Concentration profile and

concentration gradient
are changing with time
The changes of the
concentration profile
given by differential
equation, Ficks Second
Law C (x,t)

Carburizing the Surface of Steel

At high temperatures, steel gears are
exposed to methane, a carbon containing gas
Carbon diffuses into the gear surface

Center Surface
0.18% C 1% Carbon

85-219 Engineering Materials (2017) Week 5 Notes - 1

 Example Using to Ficks 2nd Law
A gas is diffusing into a
solid
Carburizing gas into steel
Co = initial steel
composition
Cs = Gas composition at
surface

Non-steady State Diffusion

Copper diffuses into a bar of aluminum.
Surface conc.,
Cs of Cu atoms bar
pre-existing conc., Co of copper atoms
Cs
Fig. 5.5,
Callister &
Rethwisch 9e.

For semi infinite solid, following assumption are made:

B.C. at t = 0 (before diffusion), C = Co for 0 x
at t > 0, C = CS (constant surface conc.) for x = 0
C = Co for x =
38

85-219 Engineering Materials (2017) Week 5 Notes - 2

 Solution:
C x, t Co x
1 erf
Cs Co 2 Dt

C(x,t) = Conc. at point x after C

time t S
x
erf(z) = error function Z 2 Dt
C(x,t)
erf(z) values are given in
Table 5.1
Co

Fig. 5.5, Callister & Rethwisch 9e.

39

85-219 Engineering Materials (2017) Week 5 Notes - 3

 Non-steady State Diffusion
Sample Problem: An FCC iron-carbon alloy initially
containing 0.20 wt% C is carburized at an elevated
temperature and in an atmosphere that gives a surface
carbon concentration constant at 1.0 wt%. If after 49.5 h
the concentration of carbon is 0.35 wt% at a position 4.0
mm below the surface, determine the temperature at
which the treatment was carried out.

Solution: use Eqn. 5.5

41

Solution (cont.):

t = 49.5 h x = 4 x 10-3 m
Cx = 0.35 wt% Cs = 1.0 wt%
Co = 0.20 wt%

erf(z) = 0.8125

42

85-219 Engineering Materials (2017) Week 5 Notes - 4

 Solution (cont.):
We must now determine from Table 5.1 the value of z for which the
error function is 0.8125. An interpolation is necessary as follows

z erf(z)
0.90 0.7970
z 0.8125 z 0.93
0.95 0.8209

Now solve for D

43

Q
D Doe RT
Solution (cont.):
To solve for the temperature at
which D has the above value,
we use a rearranged form of
Equation (6.9a);
from Table 6.2, for diffusion of C in FCC Fe
Do = 2.3 x 10-5 m2/s Qd = 148,000 J/mol

T = 1300 K = 1027C

44

85-219 Engineering Materials (2017) Week 5 Notes - 5

 Concentration profile at a
given time

C x Co x
1 erf
C s Co 2 Dt

Suppose that C1 is
desired to achieved in an
alloy C1 Co
constant
C s Co
subsequently equation relates time and
diffusion distance
x
Constant x2 / Dt = Constant
2 Dt

Example Problem
Copper diffuses in aluminum
D = 4.8 x 10-14 m2/s at 500C
D = 5.3 x 10-13 m2/s at 600C
x2 / Dt = Constant
Calculate the time at 500C that will provide
the same diffusion results (same
concentration, at same position) as 10 hr at
600C
x = (D600t600) = (D500t500)
t500 = (Dt)600 / D500 = (5.3x10-1310) / 4.8x10-14
Time at 500C = 110.4 hours
100C difference multiplies time by 11 46

85-219 Engineering Materials (2017) Week 5 Notes - 6