Industrial Materials

Engr. Muhammad Bilal

B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering (2012-16)
UET Taxila
 Phase Diagrams
Iron-Carbon System:Iron-Iron Carbide phase diagram

Typical Metal Iron at room temperature

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 Phase Diagrams
Iron-Carbon System:Iron-Iron Carbide phase diagram

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 Phase Diagrams
Iron-Carbon System:Iron-Iron Carbide phase diagram

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 Phase Diagrams
Iron-Carbon System:Iron-Iron Carbide phase diagram
Two parts of Iron Carbon system: 1. 0% C 6.7 % C
(Cementite)
2. 6.7% C 100% C (Graphite)
All steels and cast irons are below 6.7% C, so, Iron-Iron-Carbide
system is always considered

Carbon is an interstitial impurity in iron and forms solution by the

-ferrite, -austenite, -ferrite.

Cementite is very hard and brittle, strength of steel and cast iron
is enhanced by it.

Cementite is stable at room temperature, but, it is metastable if

heated 650-700oC for several years, it will convert to -ferrite and
C.
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 Phase Diagrams
Iron-Carbon System:Iron-Iron Carbide phase diagram
Peritectic point

Monotectic point Eutectic Point

Eutectoid point

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 Phase Diagrams
Iron-Carbon System:Iron-Iron Carbide phase diagram
Individual Phases:
1. - ferrite (BCC): Fe-C solid solution [Max. solubility 0.022% at 727oC]

2. - austenite (FCC):Fe-C solid solution[Max. solubility 2.14% at 1147oC

3. - ferrite (BCC): Fe-C solid solution [Max. solubility 0.1% at 1493oC]

4. Fe3C cementite: iron carbide

5. Liquid Fe-C solution

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 Phase Diagrams
Iron-Carbon System:Iron-Iron Carbide phase diagram
Invariant Reactions:
Peritectic Reaction: (1493 oC, 0.16 % C)
- ferrite + L - austenite

Monotectic reaction: (1493 oC, 0.51 % C)

L L+ - austenite

Eutectic reaction: (1147 oC, 4.3 % C)

L - austenite + Fe3C [Ledeburite]

Eutoectoid reaction: (727 oC, 0.76% C)

- austenite - ferrite + Fe3C [Pearlite]

2/17/17 JAMAL UMER

Assistant Professor
Mech. Engg. Deptt. UET Lahore 8
 Phase Diagrams
Iron-Carbon System:Iron-Iron Carbide phase diagram
Steels are classified based on their C content / alloying
additions, which in turn dictates their applications.

Pure Iron C<0.008 wt%

Low-carbon steels: C< 0.25 wt%
Medium-carbon steels: 0.25 wt% < C < 0.6 wt%
High-carbon Steels: 0.6 wt% < C < 1.4 wt%

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 Phase Diagrams
Iron-Carbon System:Iron-Iron Carbide phase diagram

White Cast Iron:

Cast iron cooled down to room temperature having cementite (whitish)

Grey Cast Iron:

Cast iron cooled down to room temperature having graphite (grayish)

Malleable Cast Iron:

If heat treated to have graphite in form of nodules

Spheroidal graphite (SG) Iron:

If inocluants are used in liquid state to have nodules graphite

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 Phase Diagrams
Iron-Carbon System:Microstructure development
Equilibrium Cooling:

a (0.76%C, 800oC)
Austenite

b (0.76%C, <727oC)
Pearlite
Photomicrograph of
Eutectoid Reaction: eutectoid steel
(pearlite)
-ferrite light phase
Fe3C dark phase

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 Phase Diagrams
Iron-Carbon System:Microstructure development
Hypoeutectoid alloys:
(0.022 < Co < 0.76)

c (Co ,875oC) -Austenite

d (Co, 775oC) + Photomicrograph of

0.38% C having pearlite
and proeutectoid
e (Co, < 775oC) + ferrite.
particles grown larger
=Proeutectoid ferrite

e (Co, < 727oC) pearlite

(+ Fe3C)
eutectoid ferrite

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 Phase Diagrams
Iron-Carbon System:Microstructure development
Hypereutectoid alloys:
(0.76 % < C1 < 2.14%)

g (C1 , > 900oC) -

Austenite

h (C1, <800oC) + Fe3C

Photomicrograph of
Fe3C = proeutectoid 1.4% C having pearlite
Cementite and proeutectoid
cementite.

i (C1, < 727oC) pearlite

(+ Fe3C)
Fe3C = proeutectoid
Cementite

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 Phase Diagrams
Iron-Carbon System:Influence of other alloying
elements

Influence of alloying elements Influence of alloying elements

on Eutectoid composition on Eutectoid temperature

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Phase Diagrams

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