Iron Carbon Diagram

Substitutional or Intersitial Sites

When the deviation

from the periodic
arrangement of the
lattice is localized to
the vicinity of only a
few atoms.
It is called a point
defect, or point
imperfection.
 Iron-carbon phase diagram
• Describes the iron-carbon system of alloys
containing up to 6.67% of carbon,
• Discloses the Phases compositions
• Transformations occurring with the alloys
during their cooling or heating.
• Carbon content 6.67% corresponds to the
fixed composition of the iron carbide Fe3C.
 Phase compositions of the iron-
carbon alloys at room temperature
• Hypoeutectoid steels (carbon content from 0 to 0.8%)
consist of primary (proeutectoid) ferrite and pearlite.
• Eutectoid steel (carbon content 0.8%) entirely consists
of pearlite.
• Hypereutectoid steels (carbon content from 0.8 to
2.%) consist of primary (proeutectoid)cementite and
pearlite.
• Cast irons (carbon content from 2.0% to 4.3%) consist
of proeutectoid cementite , pearlite and transformed
ledeburite (ledeburite in which austenite transformed
to pearlite).
 Critical temperatures In Iron-Carbon
Diagram
• Upper critical temperature (point) A3 is the temperature,
below which ferrite starts to form as a result of ejection
from austenite in the hypoeutectoid alloys.
• Upper critical temperature (point) ACM is the temperature,
below which cementite starts to form as a result of ejection
from austenite in the hypereutectoid alloys.
• Lower critical temperature (point) A1 is the temperature of
the austenite-to-pearlite eutectoid transformation. Below
this temperature austenite does not exist.
• Magnetic transformation temperature A2 is the
temperature below which α-ferrite is
• The following phases are involved in the
transformation, occurring with iron-carbon alloys.
• Liquid
• δ-ferrite
• Austenite
• α-ferrite
• Cementite
• Pearlite.
• L - Liquid solution of carbon in iron;
• δ-ferrite :Solid solution of carbon in iron. The of δ-ferrite is
BCC.
• Austenite : Intersitial solid solutionof carbon in γ-iron.
Austenite has FCC structure, permitting high solubility of
carbon – up to 2% at 1147 ºC.

• α-ferrite – Intersitial solid solution of carbon in α-iron.

ferrite has BCC crystal structure and low solubility of carbon
up to 0.025% at 723ºC. Ferrite exists at room temperature.

• Cementite – iron carbide, intermetallic compound, having

fixed composition Fe3C.
 Pearlite
• It is a mixture of two phases. Ferrite and
cementite.
• Lamellar structure composed of alternating
layers of alpha-Iron and cementite.
• The eutectoid composition of austenite is
approximately 0.8% cabon.
• Steel with less carbon content will contain a
ferrite (pro eutectiod) and Pearlite
• Steels with higher carbon contents contains
cementite (Pro eutectoid) .
• The volume fraction of pro eutectoid ferrite
and cementite can be calculated from the
iron/iron—carbide equilibrium phase diagram
using the lever rule.
• Steels with pearlitic (eutectoid composition)
or near-pearlitic microstructure (near-
eutectoid composition) can be drawn into thin
wires.
• Such wires, commercially used as piano wires
• Often bundled into ropes,for suspension
bridges,
• As steel cord for tire reinforcement.
• Eutectoid steel can in principle be transformed
completely into pearlite.
• Hypoeutectoid steels can also be completely
pearlitic if transformed at a temperature below
the normal eutectoid.
• Pearlite can be hard and strong but is not
particularly tough.
• It can be wear resistant because of a strong
lamellar network of ferrite and cementite.
• Examples of applications include cutting tools,
high strength wires, knives, chisels, and nails.
•At this temperature
•The tie line shows that
the alpha phase contains
5.2%B
•The liquid phase contains
34.5%B.
•Fraction of alpha = (34.5 - 23.7)
/ (34.5 - 5.2) = 0.3686
•The percentage of alpha
present can be calculated =
0.3686 x 100 = 36.86%
•The alpha and the liquid make
up 100% of the alloy's
composition:
•Percentage of liquid = 100 -
36.86 = 63.14%