“What’s the difference between spheroidite and a pearl?” is a common question among high school science projects. Answer: Pearlites transform to spheroidite, which is much less stable than the former. Conceptual Check 12.2, as well as Nails Stamping 101, are the answers to the question posed in this article.
Spheroidite is a relatively new material, and its properties are not well understood. In a paper published by Pollack & McKee (eds), “Theoretical Analysis of the Behavior of the Metamorphosed Formation of Spheroidite (Moria Tufflorata): Prevalence of a New Magnesium-Dioxide-Orientated Formation,” pp. 3-5, alloys were compared using Nail Quality, Vibrational Properties, and Reflectivity/oufiness properties. The comparisons showed that alloys containing magnesium-oxide had higher hardness (anisotropic), had better alloys comprising pearlite or spheroidite (compare Coppin & coworkers, “Pearl-Like Alloys with Higher hardness,” Science Reviews vol. 740).
Coppin & coworkers next performed experimental testing of pearlite/spheroidite cross sectional grains, using optical microscopy and x-ray fluorescence. A cross section of a grain from each material revealed a structure with a net convex surface (fig. 5). When viewed with optical microscopy, it was clear that the surface of the grain from pearlite/spheroiditized rocks contained features typical of pearl-like microstructures, i.e., pear-like microbrushes, wavy microstructures, and oriented grains. In another experiment using reflective optic microscopy, when the grain was introduced into a microstructure made up of graphite, a clear netting structure was apparent (fig. ).
The experiments concluded that the transition between microstructure and spheroidite occurs at low temperatures. To test this, they repeated their experiment, but this time with a microstructure made of diamond at room temperature. If you have any questions regarding where and how to use Click Link, you can speak to us at our own site. Again, when the grain was inserted, the structure revealed a net convex surface (not quite as pronounced as in the experiments with pearls and microspheres, but still apparent). When the researchers raised the temperature of the diamond microstructure to its melting point, the structure showed an increased degree of spheroidization, with the net convex surface taking on the classic “tear” appearance typical of microstructures.
Discussion. This is all well and good, but how do we know that these experiments demonstrate the real transformation? The authors refer to “averages of microscopic structural data” but without providing any supporting evidence for this, and other scientists have used similar data analysis techniques successfully, using the same microscopes. It seems most likely that the real transformation is somewhere in between, involving a net convex structure with microstructure added at the appropriate times.
If one is to find a continuous cooling transformation diagram for a given alloy, one would need to study a large number of the grades of metallic alloys. Diamonds are an easy example because almost all cut diamonds exhibit a microstructure. The best way to test for the presence of microstructure in a metal is through the use of an instrumented diamond heating furnace. The continuous cooling transformation diagram for this type of furnace can be calculated very easily, and it would be very interesting to see the results of an experiment like this on a much larger scale.