Principles for Understanding Heat Treating Steel and Aluminum: The Ellingham Diagram (Part 2)
by Mike Powers, F.A.S.M. Previously, I introduced the fundamental precepts that define the construction of the Ellingham diagram, which is based on the Gibbs free energy at standard state conditions (ΔGo) for a metal oxidation reaction. Now we move on to a more detailed look at how the Ellingham diagram can be utilized in practical situations. These are all important principles to understand heat treating steel and aluminum. Practical Applications of the Ellingham Diagram Figure 1 is a modern version…