1. Degree of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering, machine engineering, physics, chemistry or a degree in a related field. All degrees must be equivalent to at least 180 higher education credits.
2. At least 22.5 credits of Mathematics.
3. The equivalent of English 6 in Swedish secondary school or equivalent

The course is part of the main field of study Materials Science and meets the degree requirement for the degree of Master (Two Years), main field of study Materials Science.

The course covers the following:

• Thermodynamics, phases and phase diagrams
• Diffusion in solid materials
• Crystal structures and properties of grain boundaries and phase interfaces
• Nucleation and growth during solidification and solid-solid phase transformation
• Important diffusional and diffusionless phase transformations and their influence on the evolution of microstructures
• Project assignment, in groups, where a phase transformation process is studied using a given simulation tool

Knowledge and understanding
Once the course is completed, the student shall:

• describe basic thermodynamics for phase transformation
• describe different diffusion mechanisms in solid materials and the basis for these processes
• describe the influence of crystal structure on grain and phase boundaries
• describe nucleation and grain growth during solidification and solid-solid phase transformations
• describe different types of diffusional and diffusionless phase transformations and their influence on the evolution of microstructures
• describe the basic principle of the material model used in the project assignment

Skills and abilities
Once the course is completed, the student shall:

• interpret binary phase diagrams and construct such diagrams using given thermodynamical prerequisites for different types of diffusive phase transformations
• perform numerical simulations of a phase transformation process using a given simulation tool, and present the numerical results in relation to a knowledge of a given material model.

Judgement and approach
Once the course is completed, the student shall:

• compare and discuss different theoretical models for homogenous and heterogeneous solidification and nucleation

Lectures, seminars, assigments and project work with supervision.

Requirements for pass (grade A-E):

• Passed report (1 credit)
• Passed written exam, 6.5 credits

The final grade is based on the written exam.

The student is expected to search for, evaluate and use relevant literature independently or in discussion with the teacher.

Recommended reading:

• Callister, W. D., Rethwisch, D. G. (2020) Materials Science and Engineering, 10th ed., John Wiley & Sons Pte Ltd, Hoboken, NJ, (SI-version)
• Porter, D.A., Easterling, K.E and Sherif, M.Y (2009). Phase Transformations in Metals and Alloys, 3rd ed., Boca Raton: CRC Press

The University provides students who are taking or have completed a course with the opportunity to share their experiences of and opinions about the course in the form of a course evaluation that is arranged by the University. The University compiles the course evaluations and notifies the results and any decisions regarding actions brought about by the course evaluations. The results shall be kept available for the students. (HF 1:14).

When a course is no longer given, or the contents have been radically changed, the student has the right to re-take the examination, which will be given twice during a one year period, according to the syllabus which was valid at the time of registration.

If a student has a Learning support decision, the examiner has the right to provide the student with an adapted test, or to allow the student to take the exam in a different format.

The syllabus is a translation of a Swedish source text.