1. Degree of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering 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 B in Swedish secondary school or equivalent

The course objective is for the student to develop skills within a theoretical background and fundamental principles for phase transformation and the formation of microstructures.

The course covers the following:

• binary and tertiary systems;

• interstitial and substitutional diffusion;

• structure and properties of grain boundaries and interfaces between phases;

• TTT-diagram (time-temperature transformation), age hardening, eutectoid transformations, CCT diagram (continuous cooling transformation), bainite transformation;

• kinetics for martensite transformation, nucleation and growth and crystallography; and

• general theory for nucleation and growth, important transformation processes such as precipitation, massive transformation, spinodal transformation, and transformation in steel.

Once the course is completed, the student shall:

• demonstrate the ability to describe basic thermodynamics for phase transformation, and the difference between low and high angle boundaries;

• be able to describe the difference between homogenous and heterogenous solidification and nucleation, nucleation growth and coarsening in alloys and the kinetics of martensitic transformations; and

• demonstrate the ability to explain the effect of different interfaces on metal strength.

Once the course is completed, the student shall:

• demonstrate the ability to evaluate and predict the microstructure of a precipitation hardenable alloy after solution heat treatment, age hardening (tempering).

Once the course is completed, the student shall:

• demonstrate the ability to compare and discuss different theoretic models for homogenous and heterogenous solidification and nucleation.

The course is comprised of lectures and independent study.

Requirements for pass (grade A-E): Passed report (1 hp) and passed written exam, 6.5 credits

The final grade is based on the written exam.

Recommended reading

• 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.

The syllabus is a translation of a Swedish source text.