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Fe-C system is chosen to illustrate some typical transformations and resulting microstructures, not to mention its importance in engineering applications of steels Isothermal Transformation Diagrams Such a diagram plots the fraction of transformation versus time when the alloy is held isothermally (i. e. at a constant temperature) at various temperatures Example: formation of pearlite in a eutectoid alloy (0.76C) from the eutectoid reaction = + Fe3C (at T = Ti)
436-221/223/281 Unit 2: Engineering Materials
y = 1 exp( kt )
start time: t0 Corresponding to each temperature, we can find t0, t50 and t100.
plot temperature versus log t0, t50 and t100, respectively connecting all the points for t0 = the start curve connecting all the points for t50 = the half curve connecting all the points for t100 = the completion curve these curves are also called TTT curves or C curves the rate of transformation is the fastest at an intermediate temperature (the nose)
no reaction above Te
675 650
Dr. K. Xia
Dr. K. Xia
Microstructures
Extended (down to ~215C) TTT diagram for the eutectoid steel at T < ~540C, a new microstructure - bainite - forms as a result of phase transformation Bainite takes a needle or a plate shape and consists of elongated cementite in a matrix of ferrite
ferrite cementite
pearlite ~540C
bainite
austenite
Dr. K. Xia
Complete TTT diagram for the eutectoid steel when cooled so fast that no C diffusion is possible, a new phase - martensite forms (at even lower temperatures) from the austenite phase the martensite (M) transformation is diffusionless, and thus takes virtully no time (the amount of M depends on T only, NOT on time)
Dr. K. Xia
martensite Fe forms a body-centred hard tetragonal (BCT) unit cell and brittle C atoms remain in the interstitial sites (no formation of further cementite) transfor a non-equilibrium phase (not mation possible present in the phase diagram)
Martensite (BCT)
Austenite (FCC)
Example 10.1 Fe-C of eutectoid composition starting microstructure: at 760C Find: microstructures and percentages of each microconstituent after the following heat treatments (a) rapid cooling to 350C, holding for 10000 s, and quenching to RT (b) rapid cooling to 250C, holding for 100 s, and quenching to RT (c) rapid cooling to 650C, holding for 20 s, rapid cooling to 400C, holding for 1000 s, and quenching to RT
436-221/223/281 Unit 2: Engineering Materials
A to P starts 100%A
50%P 50%A
no more transformation
A to B starts
A to B completes
These phases and structures cannot be read from the equilibrium phase diagram!!
100%B
100%A 100%A
A to B starts
50%B
Dr. K. Xia
Effect of composition C: non-eutectoid compositions e. g. a hypereutectoid alloy (Co) proeutectoid cementite may appear
T' A to C starts Proeutectoid Fe3C
Co
T'
A & C coexist
+ C A to P completes
Dr. K. Xia
other alloying elements shape and position of the starting, half and completion lines may be different
proeutectoid ferrite
HW: follow isothermal phase transformations of alloy steel 4340 at 350, 550, 650 and 750C 4340 alloy steel: Fe-0.4C-1.8Ni0.7Mn-0.8Cr-0.2Si-0.25Mo
Fe-0.76C
Dr. K. Xia
Continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagrams In practice, the cooling is often continuously carried out at a certain rate to room temperature, rather than rapid cooling to a certain temperature and holding at the temperature for a period of time when the isothermal transformation diagrams are applicable. For continuous cooling, the transformation diagrams are different: various curves are usually shifted to lower temperatures and longer times. Also, some phases may not appear at all.
436-221/223/281 Unit 2: Engineering Materials
isothermal holding
continuous cooling
Dr. K. Xia
P A
A to P finishes: 100% P A to P stops: P+ remaining A remaining A to M starts
A to M starts M P+M
Cooling rate determines what microstructures will be present following heat treatment
Dr. K. Xia
Things can certainly get much more complicated with alloying, but the diagram can be read in the same way.
HW: Try to reach the final microstructures following cooling at different rates 436-221/223/281 Unit 2: Engineering Materials Dr. K. Xia