Basics of Phase diagrams: Gibbs free energy – composition diagrams, Gibbs-Thompson effect, introduction to ternary phase diagrams. Diffusion: steady vs non-steady states, driving force and mechanisms, Fick’s first and second laws. Interstitial and substitutional diffusion, high diffusivity paths. Interfaces: solid-vapour, grain and phase boundaries, ledge growth, glissile interface, rate controlling step. Nucleation, growth, Johnson-Mehl-Avrami analysis, age hardening, coarsening. Recovery, recrystallization and grain growth. Order-disorder, spinodal, cellular eutectoid and massive transformations. Martensite (phenomenological theory), Bainite, acicular ferrite.