Fe-C Phase Diagram

Pure Iron
Upon heating pure Iron experiences two changes in crystal structure. At room temperature it exists as ferrite, or iron.
BCC crystal structure mostly iron with a little carbon relatively soft

1538C
Melts

1394C Ferrite
BCC

When we heat it to 912C it experiences a polymorphic transformation to austenite, or iron

FCC crystal structure Unstable at room temp. Can accommodate more carbon than ferrite

912C iron
Austenite FCC

25C Ferrite
BCC
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At 1394C austenite reverts back to a BCC phase called ferrite.

Fe-Fe3C Phase Diagram

Only part of the phase diagram is shown. The left axis is pure iron. On the right the phase diagram only extends to 6.70 wt%C At this concentration the intermediate compound iron carbide, or cementite (Fe3C) is formed This is sufficient to describe all of the steels and cast irons used today.

Pure Fe

Fe3C cementite 6.70 wt% C 3

Development of Microstructures in Iron-Carbon Alloys

Various microstructures can be produced in steel alloys depending on
carbon content heat treatment

Austenite

Equilibrium (slow) cooling from the region through the eutectoid composition of 0.76 wt% C

+ Fe3C (Pearlite)
% and Fe3C in eutectoid pearlite

W = WFe 3C =

6.7 0.76 100 = 89% 6.7 0.022 0.76 0.022 100 = 11% 6.7 0.022

+ Fe3C

Formation of Pearlite
0.022 wt%C 0.76 wt% C 6.7 wt%C

Schematic representation of the formation of pearlite from austenite

direction of arrows indicates carbon diffusion

Micrograph of eutectoid steel, showing pearlite microstructure.

ferrite (light) Fe3C (dark)
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Hypo-eutectoid Composition (wt% C <0.76)

Composition 0.002 and 0.76 wt% C Upon cooling enter a two-phase region + Below 727C the remaining austenite transforms to pearlite

+ Fe3C
Final structure is a mixture of
Pro-eutectoid ferrite Pearlite

Hypo-eutectoid Composition (0.38 wt% C)

White regions: Proeutectoid Ferrite Dark regions: Pearlite Close-spaced layers Unresolved at this magnification

Pearlite wider-spaced layers 91 m

Computing the relative amounts of proeutectoid and pearlite

Similar to previous lecture. Use the Lever Rule in conjunction with a tie line For hypoeutectic composition C'0, fractions of pro-eutectic , and pearlite are:

U T +U T Wp = T +U W ' =
(total) and Fe3C

U +V + X T +U +V + X T WFe 3C = T +U +V + X W =

C0 hypoeutectic
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Computing the relative amounts of proeutectoid and pearlite

For hypereutectic composition C'1 V WFe 3C ' = V+X

Wp =

X V+X

(total) and Fe3C

W =

X T +U +V + X T +U +V T +U +V + X
C1 hypereutectic
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WFe 3C =

Hyper-eutectoid Composition (wt% C >0.76)

Composition between 0.76 and 2.14 wt% C Upon cooling enter a two-phase region + Fe3C The pro-eutectoid cementite phase has begun to form along the grain boundaries Final structure is a mixture of
Pro-eutectoid cementite Pearlite

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Hyper-eutectoid Composition (1.40 wt% C)

White Proeutectoid cementite network Pearlite colonies

30 m

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Mechanical Properties of Steels

The mechanical properties of steel are largely dictated by the phase transformations they undergo upon cooling If we heat steel to the single phase austenite region and vary the cooling rate we can control the microstructure. Understanding phase transformations of metallic alloys
allows us to design a heat treatment for a specific alloy that will yield the desired room temperature mechanical properties
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Example: Railway Rails

Eutectoid composition of 0.76 wt%C 100% Pearlite structure Pearlite is a natural composite
Hard and Brittle Fe3C plates Soft and Ductile ferrite plates

The strength of Pearlite is dictated by its interlaminar spacing, S (m)

y = 140 + 46.4S 1
Increased cooling rates

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Pearlite

Coarse Pearlite

Fine Pearlite

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Isothermal Transformation Diagrams

The rate of transformation of the austenite to pearlite is dependent on temperature This temperature dependence can be plotted as % transformation vs. log. time Data was collected for each curve, after rapid cooling of 100% austenite to the temperature indicated
temperature was then keep constant throughout the course of the reaction

Eutectoid composition (0.76 wt% C) Cool rapidly from 100% austenite through eutectoid isotherm (727 C) to 15 600, 650, 675C

Isothermal Transformation Diagrams

More convenient to represent timetemperature dependence
isothermal transformation diagram generated from the % transformation-versuslog. times measurements Note the eutectoid temperature (727C)

Many tests conducted to these construct curves.

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Isothermal Transformation Diagrams

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Spheroidite
Hold steel at high temperature
Below 727 oC for a sufficiently long time the Fe3C (cementite) plates spheroidize the continuous phase is ferrite

Large drop in strength occurs But ductility is greatly increased

30 m
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Formation of Martensite
Non-Equilibrium Cooling Carbon must diffuse (move) in order to form pearlite
low C in -Fe high C in Fe3C

Diffusion takes time + temperature If the sample is quenched (plunged into water)
no time for diffusion pearlite cannot form

A supersaturated and unstable structure is formed.

Lattice gets stuck between FCC and BCC i.e. we get Body Centred Tetragonal (BCT) structure or in terms of lattice parameters, ac

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Characteristics of Martensite Transformation

Occurs by a non-diffusional process Transformation occurs extremely fast, i.e. at the speed of sound Transformation occurs at temperatures well below eutectoid temperature Martensite is very hard (i.e. high y) but is completely brittle Not useful as an engineering material Must be tempered
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Martensite

24.6 m

2 m

Quench
Needle shaped White areas austenite
quenched too fast

Tempered
564C small particles cementite 21 matrix is ferrite

Effect of Carbon Content on Hardness

Brinell Hardness 0 - 320

Brinell Hardness 0 - 750

Effect of Carbon Content on Yield and Tensile Strength

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