The iron-iron carbide (Fe-Fe3C) phase diagram

Ferrite- -BCC, low C

solubility(0.022%wt),
magnetic
Austenite--FCC, high
C solubility(2.14%wt),
nonmagnetic
Ferrite--BCC
Cementite (Fe3C)
Eutectic, peritectic,
eutectoid
Iron, ferrite
(C<0.008wt%)
Stainless steel,
+Fe3C (0.008-
2.14wt%)

Microstructures of iron

- ferrite austenite

1
Interstitial sites of FCC

Interstitial sites of BCC

2
 Microstructure in iron-carbon alloys

Eutectic--
pearlite

Hypoeutectoid alloys

Hypoeutectoid steel: has a carbon

concentration less than the
eutectoid

3
 Hypereutectoid alloys

Hypereutectoid steel: has a carbon

content greater than the eutectoid

Example: Phase Equilibria

For a 99.6 wt% Fe-0.40 wt% C at a temperature just

below the eutectoid, determine the following
a) composition of Fe3C and ferrite ()
b) the amount of carbide (cementite) in grams that
forms per 100 g of steel
c) the amount of pearlite and proeutectoid ferrite ()

4
 Phase Equilibria

Solution: a) composition of Fe3C and ferrite ()

b) the amount of carbide CO = 0.40 wt% C
(cementite) in grams that C = 0.022 wt% C
forms per 100 g of steel CFe C = 6.70 wt% C
3
1600

Fe3C Co C 1400 L
= x100 T(C)
Fe3C + CFe3C C +L

Fe3C (cementite)
1200 1148C L+Fe3C
(austenite)
0.4 0.022
= x 100 = 5.7g 1000
6.7 0.022 + Fe3C
800 727C
R S
Fe3C = 5.7 g 600 + Fe3C
= 94.3 g 400
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 6.7
C CO Co , wt% C CFe
3C

Phase Equilibria
c. the amount of pearlite and proeutectoid ferrite ()
note: amount of pearlite = amount of just above TE

Co = 0.40 wt% C
C = 0.022 wt% C 1600
Cpearlite = C = 0.76 wt% C
1400 L
T(C) +L
C C
Fe3C (cementite)

1200 1148C L+Fe3C

= o x 100 = 51.2 g (austenite)
+ C C 1000
+ Fe3C
800 727C
RS
pearlite = 51.2 g 600 + Fe3C
proeutectoid = 48.8 g 400
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 6.7
C C C Co , wt% C
O

10

5
 The influence of other alloying elements

Teutectoid changes: Ceutectoid changes:

C eutectoid (wt%C)
Ti
T Eutectoid (C)

Si
Mo W Ni
Cr
Cr Si
Mn
Mn W
Ti Mo
Ni

wt. % of alloying elements wt. % of alloying elements

11

Review Fe-C phase diagram

2 important T(C)
1600
points
-Eutectic (A): 1400 L
L + Fe3C +L
1200 1148C
A L+Fe3C
-Eutectoid (B): (austenite)
Fe3C (cementite)

R S
+Fe3C 1000
+Fe3C
+

800 727C = Teutectoid
B

R S
600
+Fe3C
400
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 6.7
(Fe) 0.76 4.30 Co, wt% C
120 m
C eutectoid

Result: Pearlite = Fe3C (cementite-hard)

alternating layers of (ferrite-soft)
and Fe3C phases

6
 Summary

Phase diagrams are useful tools to determine:

--the number and types of phases,
--the wt% of each phase,
--and the composition of each phase
for a given T and composition of the system.
Alloying to produce a solid solution usually
--increases the tensile strength (TS)
--decreases the ductility.
Binary eutectics and binary eutectoids allow for
a range of microstructures.

13