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Eutectic Point
Chemistry Eutectic Point

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Eutectic Point Definition

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A eutectic system is a system of a homogeneous

mixture of substances that either melts or
solidifies at a particular given temperature that is
lower than the melting point of any of the mixture
of any of the constituent elements. This particular
temperature is known as the eutectic point. Thus,
for a liquid mixture eutectic point or the eutectic
temperature is the lowest temperature at which a
liquid can exist before solidifying in a eutectic
system. Thus, the eutectic point definition is that
the eutectic temperature is the lowest point of the
melting temperature over all of the mixing ratios
for the involved component species.

Eutectic System and Eutectic Temperature

The Eutectic system is defined already in the

introduction. Upon the heating of any of the other
mixture ratio and on reaching the eutectic
temperature, one of the component’s of the lattice
will melt first in a eutectic system, while the
temperature of the entire system of the mixture
has to increase for all the other components of
the component lattices for melting. On the other
hand, a non-eutectic mixture cools down, each of
the components of the mixture will solidify (during
the formation of its lattice) at a unique and
different temperature, until all of the material is
solid. The phase diagram is shown below:

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The terms by which the eutectic point is

characterized on a phase diagram are the
eutectic percentage ratio (on the atomic or
molecular ratio axis (X-axis) of the diagram) and
the eutectic temperature (on the Y-axis of the
diagram). Not all the binary alloys have a eutectic
point and the reason for this is that the valence
electrons of the component species are not
always compatible, in any of the mixing ratios, to
form a new type of joint crystal lattice of the
mixture. An example of this is the silver-gold
eutectic system: the melting point and the
freezing point meet at the pure element
endpoints of the atomic ratio axis while slightly
separating in the mixture region of the axis.

Phase Transition of the Eutectic System

The solidification of a eutectic system is defined

as follows:

Liquid ⟶ ⍺ solid solution + 𝛽 solid solution (at

eutectic temperature cooling)

This particular type of reaction is invariant

because it is usually in thermal equilibrium.
Another way to define such a system is the
change in the Gibbs free energy totalling zero.
Practically, this means that the liquid and the two
solid solutions all coexist at the same time
maintaining chemical equilibrium. There also
occurs a thermal arrest for the time period of the
change of phase during which the system
temperature does not change at all.

The resulting macrostructure which is solid in

nature forms a eutectic reaction depending on
the few factors out of which the most important
factor is how the two solid solutions nucleate
resulting in further growth. The most common
macrostructures formed are lamellar structures.
Few other possible structures include rodlike,
globular and acicular structures.

Compositions of the Non-eutectic Mixtures

The compositions of systems that are not eutectic

in nature are classified as hypo- or hyper-
eutectic. The hypoeutectic compositions are
those with smaller percentage composition of
species beta and a greater composition of
species alpha than the eutectic composition (E)
while hypereutectic solutions are defined as
those with the more and higher composition of
beta species and a lower composition of alpha-
species. The non-eutectic temperature of a non-
eutectic composition decreases than the liquid
mixture, it will precipitate as one component of
the mixture before any other. On the other hand,
in a hyper eutectic solution, there will be a phase
- the proeutectoid phase of beta species whereas
a hypoeutectic solution will have an alpha
proeutectic phase.

Eutectic Alloys and their Utility

The alloys having a eutectic system and a

eutectic temp have are made up of two or more
materials and by definition have a eutectic
composition. When the non-eutectic alloy is
solidified, its components become solidified at
different temperatures having plasticity in the
range of melting points. As opposed to this a very
well-mixed eutectic alloy melts at a single and
sharp temperature which is the eutectic point
temperature. The different phase transformation
that occurs during the event of solidification of a
particular alloy composition can be understood by
the vertical line starting from the liquid phase
continuing to the solid phase on the phase
diagram of that alloy. Examples of such eutectic
alloys are given below:

Casting alloys such as aluminium-silicon

alloy and cast iron alloy.

Experimental glassy materials with highly

extreme and corrosive resistance.

Eutectic alloys are made of sodium and

potassium that are usually liquid at room
temperature and are used as a coolant in
the experimental fast neutron nuclear
reactors.

Conclusion

At eutectic point the system has the lowest

temperature before the melting of the mixture and
this point is lower than the lowest of the melting
temperatures of the different components
available in the mixture. Such characteristics of
the eutectic system have many advantages and
are therefore used in many of the alloy making
processes.

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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. What Do You Mean by an Eutectic Point?

Ans: An eutectic point is the lowest melting temperature
for a mixture that can be obtained from the phase diagram
indicating the chemical composition of any such mixture.
From the phase diagram, the temperature that is the
lowest melting point temperature from the different melting
points of different components of the mixture is known as
the eutectic point.

2. What Happens at a Eutectic Point?

3. Why is the Eutectic Point Important?

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