Abstract
The present article shows a new strategy used to cover phase diagrams for undergraduate mechanical engineering students. It is based on active learning in which students are required to investigate experimentally three different eutectic alloys by using X-ray diffraction and metallography. The first technique allows students to use Rietveld analysis to obtain the mass fraction of the present phases and they must compare their results with those obtained theoretically whilst the second one is used to characterize those phases and measured their area fractions. From these results, they can also compare them with those obtained theoretically, but considering the density of different phases. The results have shown that students understood more clearly concepts such as the lever rule, and the very interpretation of phase diagram: the liquidus and solidus curve and finally the eutectic point.
Highlights
It is well recognized nowadays that active learning is far better for our present students as they learn in different styles (TAYO, OLUWAKEMI,2015) and teachers must be aware of these styles and allow them to choose their strategies
Videos were recorded to show the X-ray diffraction exam and made available on the Youtube® channel, as well as videos were recorded explaining the use of the Maud® software. After conducting this class in which students had the opportunity to learn about the software and compare the results obtained theoretically and experimentally, a survey was carried out in the form of a questionnaire through the website mentimeter.com® to assess whether the use of the Maud® software for determining the mass fraction of the elements of the lead-tin alloys contributed positively to the understanding of the concepts related to phase diagrams, pointing out that 95% of the students judged the use of the software useful for the understanding of a eutectic phase diagram
The results showed that 59% of the interviewees believed that the use of the software helped them to have a better comprehension of the phase diagram and the concepts related to it
Summary
It is well recognized nowadays that active learning is far better for our present students as they learn in different styles (TAYO, OLUWAKEMI,2015) and teachers must be aware of these styles and allow them to choose their strategies. They have previously studied materials science and mechanical properties, so they are prepared to study metals and their alloys, i.e., concepts about phase transformations, their typical microstructures, heat treatment, and thermomechanical treatment Some of those already mentioned attitudes are the rise of computing and the internet, which has changed dramatically both the availability and accessibility of information (GOODHEW, BULLOUGH, TAKTAK, 2010) in Brazil there is a major difficulty for our students since English is required by industries, in a general sense, and our elementary schools do not allow them to read, write, speak and listen fluently. Phase equilibria and phase transformations in metals and alloys are quite difficult to undergraduate mechanical engineering students at first because their previous subjects did not explore thermodynamical concepts typically explored in materials science For this reason, theoretical classes tended to investigate Gibbs’ phase rule without being concerned with the interpretation and analysis of phase diagrams, the last ones being much more important for them when employed daily in industries. This was obtained from Thermocalc®, Database: TCBIN: TC Binary Solutions V1.1
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