. /////The Eutectoid Reaction////..

lets examine the technologically

important portion of the
ironironcarbide (Fe-Fe3C) phase
diagram , which is the basis for steels
and cast
irons.
The formation of the two solid phases
( and Fe3C) permits us to obtain
dispersion
strengthening.
The ability to control the occurrence of
the eutectoid reaction (this includes
either making it happen, slowing it
down, or avoiding it all together) is
probably the most important step in
the thermomechanical processing of
steels.

On the Fe-Fe3C diagram, the eutectoid

temperature is known as the A1
temperature. The boundary between
austenite and the two-phase field
consisting of ferrite and austenite is
known as the A3.
The boundary between austenite and
the two-phase field consisting of
cementite (Fe3C)
and austenite is known as the Acm.

Solid Solutions Iron goes through two

allotropic transformations during heating or
cooling. Immediately after solidification, iron
forms a BCC structure called ferrite.
On further cooling, the iron transforms to a
FCC structure called , or
austenite.
Finally, iron transforms back to the BCC
structure at lower temperatures; this
structure is called , or ferrite. Both of the
ferrites (and ) and the austenite are solid
solutions of interstitial carbon atoms in iron.
.

Because interstitial holes in the FCC

crystal structure are somewhat larger
than the holes in the BCC crystal
structure, a greater number of carbon
atoms can be accommodated in FCC
iron.
Thus, the maximum solubility of carbon in
austenite is 2.11% C, whereas the maximum
solubility of carbon in BCC iron is much
lower (i.e.,0.0218% C in and 0.09% C in ).
The solid solutions of carbon in iron are
relatively soft and ductile, but are stronger
than pure iron due to solid-solution
strengthening by the carbon.

Compounds
A stoichiometric compound Fe3C, or
cementite, forms when the solubility of
carbon in solid iron is exceeded. The Fe3C
contains 6.67% C, is extremely hard and
brittle (like a ceramic material), and is
present in all commercial steels. By properly
controlling the amount, size, and shape of

Fe3C, we control the degree of dispersion

strengthenin

The Eutectoid Reaction If we heat

an alloy containing the eutectoid
composition of 0.77% C above
727C, we produce a structure
containing only austenite grains.
When austenite cools to 727C, the
eutectoid reaction begins:

.
Pearlite The lamellar structure of _ and
Fe3C that develops in the iron-carbon
system is called pearlite, which is a
microconstituent in steel. This was so
named because a
polished and etched pearlite shows the
colorfulness of mother-of-pearl. The lamellae
in

pearlite are much finer than the lamellae in

the leadtin eutectic because the iron and
carbon
atoms must diffuse through solid austenite
rather than through liquid. One way to think
about pearlite is to consider it as a metalceramic nanocomposite. The following
example
shows the calculation of the amounts of the
phases in the pearlite microconstituent.
In Example 12-5, we saw that most of the
pearlite is composed of ferrite. In
fact, if we examine the pearlite closely, we
find that the Fe3C lamellae are surrounded
by . The pearlite structure, therefore,
provides dispersion strengtheningthe
continuous
ferrite phase is relatively soft and ductile
and the hard, brittle cementite is
dispersed.
Primary Microconstituents
Hypoeutectoid steels contain less than
0.77% C, and hypereutectoid steels
contain more than 0.77% C.
Ferrite is the primary orproeutectoid
microconstituent in hypoeutectoid
alloys, and cementite is the primary or

proeutectoid microconstituent in
hypereutectoid alloys.
If we heat a hypoeutectoid alloy
containing 0.60% C above 750C, only
austenite remains in the
microstructure.
shows what happens when the
austenite cools.
Just below 750C, ferrite nucleates and
grows, usually at the austenite grain
boundaries. Primary ferrite continues
to grow untilthe temperature falls to
727C.
The remaining austenite at that
temperature is now surrounded
by ferrite and has changed in
composition from 0.60% C to 0.77% C.
Subsequent
cooling to below 727C causes all of the
remaining austenite to transform to
pearlite by the
eutectoid reaction. The structure
contains two phasesferrite and
cementitearranged

as two microconstituentsprimary
ferrite and pearlite. The final
microstructure contains
islands of pearlite surrounded by the
primary ferrite .
This structure permits the alloy to be
strong, due to the dispersionstrengthened pearlite, yet ductile, due
to the continuous primary ferrite.
In hypereutectoid alloys, the primary
phase is Fe3C, which forms at the
austenite
grain boundaries.
After the austenite cools through the
eutectoid reaction, the steel contains
hard, brittle cementite surrounding
islands of pearlite .

Now,because the hard, brittle

microconstituent is continuous, the
steel is also brittle.
Fortunately, we can improve the
microstructure and properties of the
hypereutectoid steels

by heat treatment. The following

example shows the calculation for the
amounts and compositions
of phases and microconstituents in a
plain carbon steel.