Cementite undergoes a magnetic transformation.

Whatever the carbon content, the trans-

formation takes place at a temperature of 210–2208C (410–4308F). It occurs without a
marked hysteresis, as does the magnetic transformation of pure iron at point A2.

3.3 STRUCTURAL TRANSFORMATIONS IN STEEL

When a steel part is hardened, it is heated to a high temperature in order to convert the entire
structure to the austenite phase. As discussed earlier, austenite is a single-phase structure of
iron and carbon stable at high temperatures. If the steel were cooled slowly, the austenite would
transform to pearlite, which is the equilibrium phase at room temperature. A pearlitic structure
is an annealed structure and is relatively soft with low physical properties. If the steel is cooled
very rapidly, a very hard and strong structure called martensite forms that is a metastable
phase of carbon dissolved in iron. It may be tempered to produce lower hardness structures
that are less brittle. Intermediate cooling rates will produce other structures referred to as
bainites, although this type of structure is only produced in quantity in an alloy steel. Eutectoid
carbon steels produce predominantly martensite or pearlite, depending on the cooling rate.

3.3.1 AUSTENITE–PEARLITE TRANSFORMATION

Transformation of the fcc lattice of austenite to the bcc lattice of ferrite is hampered due to
the presence of dissolved carbon in austenite. The austenite lattice has enough space
to accommodate carbon atoms at the centers of unit cells. The bcc lattice of ferrite has no
such space. For this reason the solubility of carbon is lowered considerably on transition from
austenite to ferrite. During the b ! a transformation, almost all carbon precipitates from
the austenite lattice. In accordance with the metastable Fe–Fe3C diagram, it precipitates as iron
carbide (cementite). This transformation can be described by three interconnected processes:
1. Transformation of the g-Fe lattice to the a-Fe lattice
2. Precipitation of carbon as the carbide Fe3C (cementite)
3. Coagulation of the carbides
At the temperature of point A1 processes 1 and 2 proceed almost simultaneously, with the
formation of a lamellar mixture of ferrite and cementite.
Atoms of dissolved carbon are distributed randomly in the lattice. For this reason
cementite nucleates in carbon-rich regions and ferrite in carbon-depleted regions that have
little if any carbon. Such a redistribution of carbon is realized through diffusion and depends
on temperature and time.
When hypoeutectoid steels containing less than 0.8% C are subjected to slow cooling, the
transformation starts with the formation of ferrite at grain boundaries. The boundaries act as
ferrite crystallization centers. Carbon is forced inside the crystallite. As ferrite precipitates, a
concentration necessary for the ferrite formation is achieved in central volumes.
When hypereutectoid steels (carbon content less than 0.8%) are subjected to slow cooling,
on crossing the line ES cementite starts precipitating at grain boundaries. Here the grain
boundaries also serve as crystallization sites.
The carbon diffusion rate in the lattices of g- and a-Fe decreases rapidly as the tempera-
ture is lowered, since the diffusion coefficient depends on temperature as

Q=RT
D ¼ D0 :

Presenting an appropriate cooling rate, undercooling can be enhanced to such an extent that
formation of pearlite becomes impossible.

ß 2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.