George Vander Voort Director, Research and Technology Buehler Ltd.

Lake Bluff, IL 60044 USA

Wrought Iron

Microstructure of wrought iron (Fe 0.07% C 0.06% Mn 0.2% Si - 0.16% P 0.02% S) etched with 2% nital revealing slag stringers and ferrite (alpha) grains and grain boundaries. Original at 500X.

Electrical Iron

Electrical iron (<0.02% C) etched with 2% nital revealing a ferrite grain structure.

Motor Lamination Steel

Surface of electrical steel specimen showing large subsub-surface ferrite grains. Tint etched with Klemms I. The grain orientations are random (note the random distribution of colored ferrite grains). Original at 100X. Viewed with crossed polars + sensitive tint.

1008 Carbon Steel As As-Rolled

4% Picral 2% Nital

Low-carbon sheet steel (Fe 0.05% C 0.08% Mn 0.20% Si) etched with picral and nital. LowPicral reveals the fine cementite particles and patches of pearlite. Nital reveals the ferrite grain boundaries and the pearlite patches, but the fine cementite particles are hard to see, especially if the are at grain boundaries. Originals at 500X.

1008 Carbon Steel - Annealed

4% Picral 2% Nital

Low-carbon sheet steel etched with picral and nital. Picral reveals the fine cementite Lowparticles and patches of pearlite. Nital reveals the ferrite grain boundaries and the pearlite patches, but the fine cementite particles are hard to see, especially if the are at grain boundaries. Originals at 500X.

1010 Carbon Steel As As-Rolled

4% Picral 2% Nital

Microstructure of hothot-rolled Fe 0.11% C 0.85% Mn 0.21% Si etched with picral and nital. Picral reveals the cementite and pearlite, but not the ferrite grain boundaries. Nital reveals the ferrite grain boundaries and the pearlite, but the fine cementite particles are difficult to see. Originals at 500X.

HSLA Duplex Grain Structure

As-rolled highAshigh-strength, lowlow-alloy (HSLA) steel strengthened with Nb revealing a duplex ferrite grain size distribution. Microstructure is ferrite and pearlite. Specimen etched sequentially with 4% picral and 2% nital. Originals at 200X (left) and 500X (right).

1018 Carbon Steel, Full Anneal

20 m

10 m

Ferrite-pearlite microstructure of 1018 carbon steel furnace cooled from 900 C (1650 Ferrite(1650 F) and etched with 4% picral (which does not reveal the ferrite grain boundaries). The hardness was 117 HV. Compare the hardness and interlamellar spacing of the air cooled (next slide) and furnace cooled specimens. Some small cementite particles can be seen.

1018 Carbon Steel, Normalized

20 m

10 m

Ferrite-pearlite microstructure of 1018 carbon steel air cooled from 900 C Ferrite(1650 F) and etched with 4% picral (which does not reveal the ferrite grain boundaries). The hardness was 135 HV.

1018 Carbon Steel, Water Quenched, Surface

WF S WF WF

20 m

10 m

As-quenched lowAslow-carbon (lath) martensite and ferrite in 1018 carbon steel water quenched from 900 C (1650 F). The hardness was 356 HV in the center and 465 HV at the edge of the bar. These pictures were from near the outer surface, but grain boundary and Widmansttten ferrite (WF) can be seen even in the outer region due to the low hardenability of 1018. The specimen was etched with 2% nital. A manganese sulfide (S) particle can be seen; note the black oxide at each end of the sulfide.

1018 Carbon Steel, Q + T (204 C) - Surface

20 m

10 m

Tempered lowlow-carbon (lath) martensite in 1018 carbon steel water quenched from 900 C (1650 F) and tempered at 204 C (400 F). The hardness was 350 HV in the center and 436 HV at the edge of the bar. These pictures were from near the outer surface in an area of almost 100% martensite. The specimen was etched with 2% nital.

1018 Carbon Steel, Q+T (204 C) - Center

WF

20 m

10 m

Tempered low-carbon (lath) martensite and ferrite in 1018 carbon steel water quenched from 900 C (1650 F) and tempered at 204 C (400 F). The hardness was 350 HV in the center and 436 HV at the edge of the bar. These pictures were from near the center in an where there is considerable grain boundary Widmansttten ferrite. The specimen was etched with 2% nital. Compare these images to those in the previous slide.

1018 Carbon Steel, Q+T (538 C) - Surface

20 m

10 m

Tempered lowlow-carbon (lath) martensite in 1018 carbon steel water quenched from 900 C (1650 F) and tempered at 538 C (1000 F). The hardness was 230 HV in the center and 256 HV at the edge of the bar. These pictures were from near the outer surface in an area of almost 100% martensite. The specimen was etched with 2% nital.

1018 Carbon Steel, Q+T (538 C) - Center

20 m

10 m

Tempered lowlow-carbon (lath) martensite and ferrite in 1018 carbon steel water quenched from 900 C (1650 F) and tempered at 538 C (1000 F). The hardness was 230 HV in the center and 256 HV at the edge of the bar. These pictures were from near the center. Note that the grain boundary ferrite is not as distinct as in the specimens in the asas-quenched and in the quenched and tempered at 203 C conditions. The specimen was etched with 2% nital.

1019 Mod. Carbon Steel

4% Picral 2% Nital

Microstructure of hothot-rolled Fe 0.16% C 1.26% Mn 0.22% Si 0.15% Cr etched with picral and nital. Picral reveals the cementite and pearlite, but not the ferrite grain boundaries. Nital reveals the ferrite grain boundaries and the pearlite, but the fine cementite particles are difficult to see. Originals at 500X.

X42 Line Pipe Steel, AsAs-Rolled

Microstructure of hothot-rolled X42 lineline-pipe steel etched sequentially with 4% picral and 2% nital revealing a severely banded (layered) structure of ferrite and pearlite. The hot working axis is horizontal. Originals at 100X (left) and 500X (right). The arrow (right image) points to a highly elongated MnS (manganese sulfide) inclusion.

ASTM A572 Plate Steel, AsAs-Rolled

Microstructure of hothot-rolled ASTM A572 plate steel steel etched sequentially with 4% picral and 2% nital revealing a weakly banded (layered) structure of ferrite and pearlite. The hot working axis is horizontal. Originals at 200X (left) and 500X (right).

ASTM A588 Plate Steel, AsAs-Rolled

Microstructure of hothot-rolled ASTM A588 plate steel steel etched sequentially with 4% picral and 2% nital revealing a moderately banded (layered) structure of ferrite and pearlite. The hot working axis is horizontal. Originals at 200X (left) and 500X (right).

1026 Carbon Steel, AsAs-Rolled

4% Picral 2% Nital

Microstructure of hothot-rolled Fe 0.23% C 0.85% Mn 0.22% Si revealing a moderately banded structure of ferrite and pearlite. Originals at 500X. The hot working axis is horizontal. The arrow (right picture) points to a large MnS inclusion. Note that it is quite malleable and has been highly elongated by hot rolling.

1030 Carbon Steel, AsAs-Rolled

4% Picral 2% Nital

Microstructure of hothot-rolled Fe 0.31% C 0.84% Mn 0.29% Si steel revealing a banded ferriteferrite-pearlite structure (hot rolling direction is horizontal). The arrows point to some of the highly elongated MnS inclusions. Originals at 500X.

1040 Carbon Steel, AsAs-Rolled

As-Rolled 1040 Carbon steel (Fe 0.4% C 0.75% Mn) etched sequentially with 4% Aspicral and 2% nital revealing a fine structure of approximately half ferrite and half pearlite. Originals at 200X (left) and 500X (right). The fine grain size is due to proper control of the finishing temperature (temperature of bars at the last mill stand).

1040 Carbon Steel, Normalized at 871 C

Normalized (871 C, 1600 F for 1 hour, air cool) 1040 carbon steel (Fe 0.4% C 0.75% Mn) etched sequentially with 4% picral and 2% nital revealing a fine structure of approximately half ferrite and half pearlite. Originals at 200X (left) and 500X (right). The structure is slightly finer than the asas-rolled structure.

1040 Carbon Steel, Full Anneal

4% Picral 2% Nital

Microstructure of annealed 1040 carbon steel (0.40% C 0.68% Mn 0.12% Si) revealing ferrite and pearlite. Originals are at 1000X.

1045 Carbon Steel, Full Anneal

20 m

10 m

Ferrite-pearlite microstructure of 1045 carbon steel furnace cooled from Ferrite900 C (1650 (1650 F) and etched with 4% picral (which does not reveal the ferrite grain boundaries). The hardness was 166 HV. Compare the hardness and interlamellar spacing of the air cooled (next slide) and furnace cooled specimens.

1045 Carbon Steel, Normalized

20 m

10 m

Ferrite-pearlite microstructure of 1045 carbon steel air cooled from 900 C (1650 Ferrite(1650 F) and etched with 4% picral (which does not reveal the ferrite grain boundaries). The hardness was 192 HV.

1045 Carbon Steel As Quenched, Surface

20 m

10 m

As-quenched mixed lowAslow-carbon and highhigh-carbon martensite in 1045 carbon steel water quenched from 900 C (1650 F). The hardness was 596 HV in the center and 743 HV at the edge of the bar. These pictures were from near the outer surface, where the structure is nearly all martensite, except for a few small dark patches of pearlite. The specimen was etched with 2% nital.

1045 Carbon Steel, AsAs-Quenched, Center

F M
20 m 10 m

As-quenched martensite and pearlite in 1045 carbon steel water quenched from 900 AsC (1650 F). The hardness was 596 HV in the center and 743 HV at the edge of the bar. These pictures were from near the center where the structure is nearly half pearlite (P), with some grain boundary ferrite (F), and martensite (M). The specimen was etched with 2% nital.

1045 Carbon Steel, Q+T (204 C) - Surface

20 m

10 m

Tempered mixed lowlow-carbon and highhigh-carbon martensite in 1045 carbon steel water quenched from 900 C (1650 F) and tempered at 204 C (400 F). The hardness was 436 HV in the center and 605 HV at the edge of the bar. These pictures were from near the outer surface in an area of 100% martensite. The specimen was etched with 2% nital.

1045 Carbon Steel, Q+T (204 C) - Center

P
20 m 10 m

Tempered martensite and pearlite in 1045 carbon steel water quenched from 900 C (1650 F) and tempered at 204 C (400 F). The hardness was 436 HV in the center and 605 HV at the edge of the bar. These pictures were from near the center in an where there is martensite (M), considerable pearlite (P) and a very small amount of grain boundary Widmansttten ferrite. The specimen was etched with 2% nital. Compare these images to those in the previous slide.

1045 Carbon Steel, Q+T (538 C) - Surface

20 m

10 m

Tempered mixed lowlow-carbon and highhigh-carbon martensite in 1045 carbon steel water quenched from 900 C (1650 F) and tempered at 538 C (1000 F). The hardness was 251 HV in the center and 280 HV at the edge of the bar. These pictures were from near the outer surface in an area of almost 100% martensite. The specimen was etched with 2% nital.

1045 Carbon Steel, Q+T (538 C) - Center

P

GBF

WF

20 m

10 m

Tempered martensite, pearlite and ferrite in 1045 carbon steel water quenched from 900 C (1650 F) and tempered at 538 C (1000 F). The hardness was 251 HV in the center and 280 HV at the edge of the bar. These pictures were from near the center in an area containing martensite (M), pearlite (P) and ferrite, including Widmansttten ferrite (WF) and grain boundary ferrite (GBF). The specimen was etched with 2% nital.

1070 Carbon Steel, AsAs-Rolled

4% Picral 2% Nital

Microstructure of hothot-rolled Fe 0.68% C 0.84% Mn 0.33% Si revealing a nearly fully pearlitic structure. Originals at 1000X.

1080 Mod. Carbon Steel, AsAs-Rolled

Microstructure of hothot-rolled eutectoid Fe 0.80% C 0.21% Mn 0.22% Si revealing a pearlitic structure where some of the lamellae are resolvable at the original magnification of 1000X. Etched with 2% nital.

1080 Carbon Steel, Normalized at 780 C

Fine pearlitic structure in normalized (780 C, 1436 F 1 h, air cool) 1080 steel (Fe 0.8% C 0.75% Mn) etched with 4% picral. Some of the lamellae are resolvable. Original at 1000X.

1080 Carbon Steel, Isothermally Annealed

Coarse pearlitic structure in isothermally annealed (780 C, 1436 F 1 h, isothermally transformed) 1080 steel (Fe 0.8% C 0.75% Mn) etched with 4% picral. All of the lamellae are resolvable. Original at 1000X.

1080 Carbon Steel, Spheroidized

Coarse pearlitic structure, with some spheroidization of the cementite, in slow cooled (780 C, 1436 F 1 h, furnace cool) 1080 steel (Fe 0.8% C 0.75% Mn) etched with 4% picral. All of the cementite particles are resolvable. Original at 1000X.

1095 Carbon Steel, Full Anneal

20 m

10 m

Ferrite-pearlite microstructure of 1095 carbon steel furnace cooled from 900 C (1650 Ferrite(1650 F) and etched with 4% picral revealing a fully pearlitic matrix with a coarse interlamellar spacing. The hardness was 225 HV. Compare the hardness and interlamellar spacings of the air cooled and furnace cooled specimens and compare the amount of pearlite and ferrite with the 1018 and 1045 specimens.

1095 Carbon Steel, Normalize

20 m

10 m

Ferrite-pearlite microstructure of 1095 carbon steel air cooled from 900 C (1650 Ferrite(1650 F) and etched with 4% picral revealing a fully pearlitic matrix with a fine interlamellar spacing. The hardness was 296 HV. Compare the hardness and interlamellar spacing of the air cooled and furnace cooled specimens and compare the amount of pearlite and ferrite with the 1018 and 1045 specimens.

1095 Carbon Steel, WQ (900 C)

20 m

10 m

As-quenched highAshigh-carbon plate martensite and retained austenite in 1095 carbon steel water quenched from 900 C (1650 F). The hardness was 863 HV and the specimen was through hardened. The austenitizing temperature is much higher than recommended and dissolved all of the cementite, depressing the martensite start and finish temperatures, which lead to the presence of excessive retained austenite. The priorprioraustenite grain size was also enlarged, as highhigh-carbon steels are not aluminum killed (graphite will form). The specimen was etched with 2% nital.

1095 Carbon Steel, WQ + T (204 C)

20 m

10 m

Tempered highhigh-carbon plate martensite and retained austenite in 1095 carbon steel water quenched from 900 C (1650 F) and tempered at 204 C (400 F). The hardness was 776 HV. This tempering temperature is too low to stimulate transformation of the retained austenite, but in may stabilize it somewhat. The specimen was etched with 2% nital.

1095 Carbon Steel, Q + T (538 C)

20 m

10 m

Tempered highhigh-carbon plate martensite and retained austenite in 1095 carbon steel water quenched from 900 C (1650 F) and tempered at 538 C (1000 F). The hardness was 375 HV. The retained austenite was transformed by the temper (and it would be best to repeat the temper). The specimen was etched with 2% nital.

Condition
900 C, Furnace Cool 900 C, Air Cool 900 C-Water Quench 900 C-WQ WQ-Temper at 204 C 900 C-WQ WQ-Temper at 204 C

1018
117 135 456 (S) 356 (C) 436 (S) 350 (C) 256 (S) 230 (C)

1045
166 192 743 (S) 596 (C) 605 (S) 436 (C) 280 (S) 251 (C)

1095
225 296 863 776 375

Notes: The 1095 specimen was through hardened. S = surface and C = center

Fe 1% C, AsAs-Rolled

Microstructure of asas-rolled Fe 1% C binary alloy etched with Berahas sodium molybdate reagent to color cementite. The arrow points to proeutectoid cementite that precipitated on a priorprior-austenite grain boundary before the eutectoid reaction (austenite forms ferrite and cementite in the form of lamellar pearlite). Magnification bar is 10 m long.

AISI W1 Carbon Tool Steel, Annealed

Microstructure of spheroidize annealed W1 waterwater-hardening tool steel etched with Berahas sodium molybdate reagent to color the cementite. Note that the ferrite was also colored, in this case. Spheroidization of the cementite lowers the hardness and makes the steel more ductile for cold forming and easier to machine. Magnification bar is 5 m long.

W1 Carbon Tool Steel, 1.15% C, Full Anneal

Annealed Fe 1.15% C steel with a coarse lamellar pearlite microstructure and some large globular cementite particles. Heat treatment was: 800 C (1472 F) 1 h, furnace cool. Etched with 4% picral. Original at 1000X. Black spots are inclusions.

W1 Carbon Tool Steel, 1.3% C, AsAs-Rolled

4% Picral 2% Nital

Microstructure of asas-rolled Fe 1.31% C 0.35% Mn 0.25% Si highhigh-carbon water hardenable tool steel. Note the Widmansttten Widmansttten intragranular cementite that precipitated as propro -eutectoid cementite before the eutectoid reaction. Originals at 1000X.