DIFFUSION OF CARBON IN ALPHA IRON*

C. G. HOMAN?

The diffusion of carbon in alpha iron using a tracer technique was performed in the temperature range
of 616°C to 844°C. 9 plot of the In D versus l/T in this temperature range deviates from the usual
straight line behaviour. An empirical model which includes the possibility of a carbon-vacancy interac-
tion is proposed to explain this deviation.

DIFFUSION DU CARBONE DANS LE FER ALPHA

L’auteur Btudie par une technique de traceur, la diffusion du carbone dans le fer alpha pour une gamme
de temp6ratures s’6tendant de 816°C it 844°C.
Dans cette gamme de tempkratures, la relation ln D = f(l/T) ne poss&de pas les caract&istiques
d’une droite.
Pour expliquer ce r&,ultat, l’auteur propose un modAle empirique qui fait intervenir la possibilite
d’une interaction entre les atomes de carbone et les lacunes.

DIFFUSION VON KOHLENSTOFF IN ALPHA-EISEN

Die Diffusion van Kohlenstoff in alpha-Eisen wurde im Temperaturbereich 616°C bis 844°C mittels
einer Isotopentechnik verfolgt. Trilgt man In D gegen l/T auf, so erhtilt man Abweichungen vom
iiblichen linearen Verlauf. Zur Erkliirung der Abweichungen wird ein empirisches Model1 vorgeschlagen,
das die Miiglichkeit einer Wechselwirkung zwischen Kohlenstoff und Leerstellen einschlieot.

INTRODUCTION agreement of our results with the previous high tem-

By implicitly assuming that every diffusional jump perature results of Smithc4) indicated that a linear
made by carbon atoms in an alpha iron matrix was extrapolation from low temperature data was
performed with identical local surroundings, Wert’l’ questionable.
was able to derive an elegant theory based on a The implicit assumption made by Wert may be
simple random walk model. This model leads to an correct for low temperature studies in pure iron, but
expression for the diffusivity characterized by a single it is perhaps not completely accurate in the tempera-
relaxation parameter 7. Wert was able to qualitatively ture range where one of the nearest neighbor iron
fit experimental data representing measurements of sites to a diffusing carbon atom may be vacant.
approximately fourteen decades of the diffusivity. An empirical model for the diffusion of carbon in
However, the low t,emperature experimental data, alpha iron was developed in which the moving carbon
which has been quant.itatively determined,c2) could atoms could have two different surrounding configu-
not be extrapolated to the experimental data(3$4) at rations. The first one is the normal configuration
the high temperature. where iron atoms exist on all the nearest neighbor
Furthermore, recent measurements of the pressure sites of the carbon atoms and the second configuration
effect on t’he diffusion of carbon in alpha iron by is when one of these nearest neighbor iron sites is
anelastic techniques(5) have indicated the anomalous vacant.
result of an extremely small pressure effect. The agreement of this model with the low tempera-
The purpose of this experiment was to redetermine ture results,(2) where the population of vacancies is
the diffusirit)y at high temperature and room pressure small, is assured. However, at the higher temperature,
the proposed model includes the possibility of carbon
using a t’racer technique in order to examine the
vacancy interactions.
simple single relaxation model and to provide a zero
A calculation based on this model (Appendix A)
point for a high pressure diffusion experiment.
indicates a high temperature pressure effect on the
The results of t’his investigation showed that it
diffusivity of carbon in alpha iron proportional to the
was impossible to fit the high temperature diffusivities
activation volume of formation of vacancies.
with a st)raight line. Furthermore, quantitative
THEORY
* Received, Janua,ry 20, 1964; revised February 20, 1964. In developing an empirical model for the diffusion
Submitted to the Physics Department, Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute, Troy, N.Y. in partial fulfillment of the requirements of C in a-Fe which would include the possibility of
of the lMast)er of Science degree.
vacancy-carbon interaction, it is necessary to satisfy
‘j’ Work performrad at Watervliet Arsenal, Watervliet, New
York. the following conditions.
ACTA METALLURGICA, VOL. 12, SEPTEMBER 1964 1071
1072 SCT_4 METALLURGICA, VOL. 12, 1964

1. The diffusivity of carbon in alpha iron is assumes that the carbon atoms are the more mobile
independent of carbon concentration. defect, then equation (4) ma,y be written:
2. Equations derived from the model should be
dC E
consistent with changes of vacancy concentration -2 = Gv,C,C, exp - *g - C?,v,
at different temperatures. clt ( !
3. A good empirical fit be obtained for measured
diffusi~ities over the entire ~m~)erature range. x exp - (Em;, “) (5)

A. Solution qf d$usion equation

where y1 and V, are the vibrational frequencies of
Pick’s second law of diffusion may be written as: the carbon atom in t,he two con~gurations; E,,,
the motional energy for a carbon in the free state;
!z.=Dazc (I) and B is the binding energy of tOhepair. (All energies
at ax2
are expressed in kcaljmole.)
when t,he diffusivity D is independent of the concen- At equilibrium, the ratio of paired carbon atoms
tration. In the case of a semi-infinite diffusion couple to total carbon concentration, rj, is
the solution of equation (I) can be shown to be S6)
+%&+?x])~~ (6)
C - C,
2 _-5 - I = erf “-z. (2) ‘c v2
( c;, - c, i ‘22/m
or expressing the vacancy concentration in atom
where (7, and CO are the initial concentrations on the percent
high and low side of the couple and C, is the concen- *B - E,,
?,=6:exp (7
tration at distance x from the interface. ( RT i
If radioactive tracers are used, equation (2) may
where E,, is the energy of forn~ation of a vacancy.
be modified t,o read
2 C. Effective difSusion coeficient
1 = erf-
22/11)t The effe&ive diffusion coefficient De may be
formulated to be:
where oO, ab and a, are the measured radioactivities
corresponding to CO, C,, and C$. Therefore, from a De = (1 - qP, + rlD, (8)
plot of where
erf-l
’ (9)

it is possible to determine if D is independent of the

is the diffusivity associated with unpaired motion of
~oncentratioll and if this is true, its value at the
a carbon atom and for the other eon~guration,
annealing temperature.

B ~on~e~tr~,t~o~ sf ~r~or~-~~~~~e~ pa+s II,= Ds,exp- g (19)

The :proposed reaction is

where E,, is the motional energy of the carbon atom
c+v+c...v (3)
when paired with a vacancy.
The forward reaction requires the presence of a free From anelastic relaxation measurements, where
carbon atom (C) and a “free” vacancy (V), and is the concentration of vacancies is negligible’s’
assumed bimolecular and hence, second order.
19,800 cal/mole
(Experimental evidence also suggests this assump- D, = 0.008 exp -
RT ) (11)
tion.ti)) The reverse reaction requires only a paired i
carbon-vacancy and is assumed unimolecular. The
And for the case when q < I; (q < 1O-2 at SO%.)
differential equation governing this model is : ,__ _^_ _, . I
19,WO cal/mole 6V1
0.008 exp - ~... -+
i
.-
RT 1
, y2

where C,, C, and C, are the pair, total carbon and B - E”,, - E,,
ex!? 112)
total vacancy concentrations, respectively. If one ! RT
 HOMAN: DIFFUSION OF C IN ALPHA Fe 1073

A plot of In (11, - D,) vs. l/T together with the evacuated to about 2 ,u, radiomethane was ad-
literature value of Bc8) and Efvcg) should yield the mitted to a pressure of 0.5-4.0 cm of Hg and the
value of [SCv,/v,) D,,] and E,,. vessel was sealed. (The pressure of the methane
was varied to obtain different concentrations in the
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE cylinders.) Carbon was deposited on the cylinder
A. Counting procedure surface by heating with an induction furnace to
approximately 500°C for 30 min. The temperat’ure
An end window (window thickness 1 mg/cm2)
of the cylinder was t)hen raised to 850°C for about
GM. tube was mounted as shown in Fig. 1. This
90 min.
fixture insured constant geometry for surface counting
After evacuating the gases remaining in the vessel,
sample ends. The counting port in the aluminum
the entire vessel and cylinders were placed in an
end shield was concentric with the samples and had a
annealing furnace at 750°C for 72 hr.(l”) The car-
diameter of 0.120 in. The V block held the samples
burized cylinders, which were bright and shiny in
for counting and grinding. The reproducibility of
appearance, were reweighed to determine the weight
counting geometry and the reliability of the counting
gain and counted to insure a uniform carbon dis-
equipment was checked periodically by means of
tribution. The uniform count rate of a cylinder was
chi-square tests.
between 50 and 200 cpm depending on the carburiza-
B. Sample preparation tion treatment. The diffusion couple was formed by
butt welding, in a helium atmosphere, a pure iron
Cylinders of 0.187 in. dia. and 18 in. long were
cylinder to a carburized cylinder (using a special
carefully machined from 99.98% zone refined iron
fixture and after suitably preparing the weld surfaces).
stock.oO) The cylinders were then etched in a solution
The weld was made by passing 3-5 pulses of 900
of 10 g of oxalic acid, 20 cc of 30 ‘A hydrogen peroxide
amperes through the sample under a small pressure
and 300 ml of H,O at 45°C until approximately
load. The time of a pulse never exceeded 5 sec.
0.020 in. were removed from the diameter and the
Metallographic examination of similar cylinders of
surface was very bright and shiny.
Armco iron welded with the same procedure indicat,ed
The cylinders to be carburized were weighed on a
good welds with no discernible entrapments at the
Mettler Grammatic microbalance and placed in a
interface.
quartz carburizing vessel. After the vessel was
Since this diffusion experiment will be extended to
high pressures, a new technique to encapsulate the
sample was developed.03) Because (1) the solubility
of Carbon in Cu is low,(14) (2) the diffusivity of Cu in
a-Fe is low with respect to the diffusivity of C in a-
Feo5) and (3) Cu is an extremely good “getter” of O,,
it was decided to plate the diffusion couples with
0.003 in. of Cu. After a diffusion anneal, it was possible
to remove part of the copper oxide layer to obtain
a bright Cu color. The solubility of C in Cu was
GM END qualitatively investigated by a counting technique.
.. ..__..
‘WIN”C)ul
COUNTING C. Diflusion anneal
A temperature control over the sample length of
05°C at 725°C during a diffusion anneal was possible
by means of a diffusion furnace and controller. The
GM TUBE
SUPPORT temperature fluctuations during the anneal were
measured by means of a chromel-alumel thermocouple
imbedded in the Cu heat bath of the diffusion furnace.
ENDWINDOW
SHIELD AND The thermocouple potential was measured with a
COUNTING PORT L&N K-3 potentiometer against a cold junction of
V-BLOCK glycerine in a dewar. The chromel-alumel couple
was calibrated before and after a diffusion run with
a Leeds and Northrup standard Pt-Pt 10% Rh
FIG. 1. Schematic of counting assembly. thermocouple using an ice bath cold junction. The
1074 ACTA METALLURGICA, VOL. 12, 1964

temperature of the cold junction was measured sections counted for at least 10,000 counts; and for
with a ~alibrate~l thermometer. sample #6, every section was counted for at least
The sample was inserted into the furnace with a 3,000 counts. Background measurements were made
chrome]-alumel thermocouple welded to the low periodically during the counting procedure and varied
activity side of the couple. Measurements of the between 23.4 and 24.3 over several months of counting.
heating time of this thermocouple as compared to the A summary of experimental data has been tabulated
furnace thermocouple indicated that a maximum in Table #I.
time of 1 minute was needed to heat from 0.8 T, to TABLE 1. Diffusion annealing data
z.-. ._ - -.
TD for diffusion runs lasting from 60 to 90 min.
tn
After the anneal, the sample was quenched within Couple no. &vt.y$J a0
iwm) (%! x 10s sec.
10 set to R.T. The data has not been corrected for 1 0.022 191 721.0 f 0.3 4.56
the heat-up time. 1A 0.022 191 721.0 f 0.3 4.56
2A 0.021 184 732.0 * 0.3 4.20
2B 0.021 184 732.0 * 0.3 4.20
3A 0.009 80 730.9 & 0.4 3.60
5 0.006 55 814.9 + 1.0 3.54
The sample was mounted in the V block and the 6 0.006 53 823.5 & 1.0 4.08
Cu plating was removed from the end with a precision 7 0.006 52 616.0 * 0.3 5.40
10 0.008 209 844.2 i 1.0 3.60
surfacegrinder. The grinder has an accuracy of -
0.0001 in. and produced a #lS finish on the sample
RESULTS
end. Sectioning and counting from the high carbon
(activity) end showed that the original cpm measured A. Measurement of Dexp.
before the anneal could be obtained within 0.005 in. Figure 2 is a typical penetration curve which was
of the end. This result qualitatively confirmed the obtained from the measurements of the activity of
fact of the extremely low solubility of C in Cu. At Sample #l after a diffusion anneal of 76 min at
least three sections were made to within 0.2 in. of 721.0%. If one plots
the weld to be sure t,hat the concentration in the
(erf)-r %
~ - ‘b
carburized portion of the sample was uniform after vs. distance
the anneal. All samples reported in this paper were a0 - %
within 1 “/;; of the original value of a0 determined from the interface on probability paper, the data may
before the anneal in this region. The penetration was be fit with a straight line. Results of this experiment,
measured from this point. For samples #I & #lo, some of which are plotted in Figs. 3-8 indicates that
every section was counted for at least 10,000 counts; in the ranges of carbon concentration and temperature
samples fA, 2A. 3A, 5 and 7 have at least three st,udied the diffusivity is independent of carbon
 HOMAN: DIFFUSION OF C IN THE ALPHA Fe 1075

99.99

98 9e 98 9.9
95 95 95 95

ox-(lb
yo 90 ox-Ob 90 so
(lo-(lb
(lo-oh e. so 80 80

70 70 70 70
60 60
60 60
50 50
50 50
40 40 40 40
30 30
30 30
20 20
20 20

10 10
10 10
5 5
5 5
2 2
2 2

-60
-30.0 -15.0 0.0 I5.0 30.0 -40 -20 0.0 t20
DISTANCE FROM WELD (1631N.)
DISTANCE FROM INTERFACE ( lu3 IN.)

FIG. 3. Probability plot of (a, - ab)/(q, - a,) vs. distance FIG. 5. Probability plot of (a, - ab)/(rzO - ub) vs. distance
from weld: sample #lA. from weld: sample #5.

99.99 99.99 99 99
9999
DC# 3A DC* 6
To=730.9+.4”C To =823.5 i I.O°C
to=3.6Xl03sec 1D =4.OBXlO3sec
Cl4 IN w-Fe Ci41N d-Fe
D = Ii 6 X10-’ cm2/sec D = 4 7.1 X 10-7cmz/sec

98 96 98 98

95 95 95 95
90 90 90
-90
80
armgo
a*-Ob 80 80

oa-Ob ‘0 70 70 70
60 60 60
60
50 M 50
50
40 40 ‘la 40
30 30 30 30
20 20 20 20

IO
10 IO 10

5t-+ 5 5

2
5

2
2

-80 -60 -40 -20 0.0 +10 -80 -60 -40 -20 0.0 +10

DISTANCE FROM WELD (10-31N.) DISTANCE FROM WELD (lO-3 IN.1

’
FIG. 4. Probability plot of (a, - aJ/(aO - q,) vs. distance FIG. 6. Probability plot of (a, - ~+,)/(a,, - aa) vs. distance
from weld: sample #3A. from weld: sample #6.
1056 ACTA METALLURGICA, VOL. 12. 1964

1
99 99 99 99 99.99
99.99
DC* 7
To =616.0-+0.5°C =644.2f I.O’C
to=5.4x103 set
C’41Noc-Fe
D= 2.36X IO-‘cm hec
D =62.0 X 10-7cm%ec
98 98
98

95
95

90 90

EO
70
O_ 8o
ao-(lb ‘0
60 60
50 50
40 40
30 30
20 20

10 IO
5 5 I I I I 5

I*
2

-60 -40 -20 0.0 +20

DISTANCE FROM WELD ( lCj3 IN.) DISTANCE FROM WELD (lO-3 IN.)

Fro. 7. Probability plot of (a, - aa)/(ao - a*) vs. distance FIG. 8. Probability plot, of (a, - ab)/(aO - (lb) vs. distance
from weld: sample #7. from weld: sample # 10.

concentration. Table #2 is a summary of all the pre-exponential terms to be 2.2 cm2/sec and the
experimental values of the diffusivities determined activation energy (B - Efv - E,,) to be 29,300
in this experiment. Cal/mole.
However, a plot of the diffusivity of carbon in DISCUSSION
alpha iron measured in this and other(3s4) experiments
A. Comparisovb with the results of other measurements
over the temperature range studied is not of the
Comparison of the D, values obtained in this experi-
simple exponential form as shown in Fig. 9. In order
ment with previously reported D values(314) indicate
to study this effect a subsidiary plot was made of
good agreement in the temperature range 616”C-
the measured diffusivities shown in Fig. 9 minus the
corresponding extrapolated diffusivities D, from low 844°C. The quantitative agreement of this data with
temperature anelastic measurements.@) Figure 10 Smith’s14) work using nonradioactive carbon indicate
indicates that two competing mechanisms are in that an isotope effect, if any, is not detectable. It
operation. Rewriting equation (12) would be expected that an isotope effect would yield
values of diffusivities for C-14 approximately 7 x,
(D, - D,) == 6 ii D,, exp
B - E,, - En%, smaller than for the nonradioactive carbon.
(13)
RT Most of the low temperature diffusion measure-
Hence from Fig. 10, one may find the value of the ments involve a quenching technique in the sample
TABLE 3. Summary of diffusion calculations

to X* c, - cbt 11
Couple no. x 103 SW (in.) erf l#J 4 lo-’ cm2/sec
c0 - cb

1 721.0 * 0.3 4.56 +0.044 0.850 0.700 0.733 12.0 f 0.6

1A 721.0 f 0.3 4.56 +0.032 0.800 0.600 0.595 10.3 i_ 0.5
0.820 0.640 0.647 11.5 * 0.5
;?q 732.0 f 0.3 4.20 -0.035
10.063 0.200 0.600 0.595 12.9 k 0.6
3A 730.9 & 0.4 3.60 +0.060 0.950 0.900 0.617 11.8 $- 0.6
5 814.9 * 1.0 3.54 +0.060 0.860 0.720 0.831 32.6 + 1.6
6 823.5 + 1.0 4.08 + 0.080 0.850 0.700 0.733 47.1 + 2.4
7 616.0 + 0.3 5.40 +0.045 0.988 0.976 1.596 2.4 f 0.1
10 844.2 + 1.0 3.60 +0.100 0.88*5 0.770 0.849 62.0 i 3.1

* z is some arbitrary distance from weld.

i_ Values determined from straight line fit at r.
$ See appendix B.
 HOMAN: DIFFUSION OF C IN ALPHA Fe 1075

The proposed model indicates that the vacancy

formation energy of alpha iron is unaffected by the
magnetic transition. One is led to speculate that the
abrupt magnetic changes occurring at the Curie
point may not influence the mobility of a possibly
magnetically inert C-12 or C-14 atom.

B. Pre-exponential factor [6(v1/v2) Do,]

The magnitude of the pre-exponential factor is
several orders of magnitude greater than the value
normally measured.(2,3) However, this value is of
DIcmt&,
4
the same order for the Do of self-diffusion measure-
IO-
83 ments in alpha iron. %lg) This would appear to mean
that the relaxation associated with the diffusion
2

mechanism of self-diffusion partially influences the

carbon mobility.
If one accepts the model proposed, it is possible
to estimate the value of the factor containing the
entropy changes. A reasonable value of the ratio
vJv2 would probably be between 1 and 10, the
IO corresponding range of Do, being 0.37 too.037 cm2/sec.
IO-
This compares to a value for Do, of 0.008 cm2/sec.

C. Activation energy (E,, + E,, - B)

1.50 1.40 1.30 1.20 1.10 1.00 .90 .50 A binding energy B of a carbon vacancy pair of
9.5 kcal/mol may be assigned from radiation damage
FIG. 9. Plot of diffusivity vs. 103/ToK for carbon in alpha
iron. A Chemical technique (Stanley); 0 tracer technique
E] Phase boundary migration (Smith).

preparation stage. Depending on the individual

quenching statisttics ; e.g., the quench rate, a certain
fraction of the vacancies present at the quench tem-
perature should be ‘(frozen” into the lattice. The
effect of these excess vacancies may be the cause of
lO-63
the dispersion noticed by several investigators(2J6)
in the anelastic relaxation measurements. An
2
annealing technique was developed by KW6) to
eliminate this dispersion.
It has been shown by Damask et &.(7~8J7) in a
series of measurements on alpha iron radiation G,) I
9
damaged at low temperatures, that vacancies trap 8

carbon atoms indicating a binding energy for the 7

6
pair. Furthermore, it was suggested in these radiation
5
damage annealing kinetic studies that the carbon
4
atom may encounter many vacancies on its way to a
precipitation site. 3

The smoothness of the curves in Figs. 9 and 10 lO-7

over the temperature range 6OO”C-850°C implies 2

that the diflusivity of carbon in alpha iron is unaffected

by the magnetic change at 77O”C, the Curie tem-
perature. This result is in striking contrast to the
I
abrupt changes in the self-diffusion coefficientW in
alpha iron, the diffusivity of nickel in iron,(l5) and IO’ / To tl

the diffusivities of hydrogen in nickel and iron@O) FIG. 10. Plot of De,,, - D, vs. 103/ToK for carbon in

which occur at the Curie temperature. alpha, iron. .

I
1078 ACTA METALLURCICA, T’OL. 13, 1964

calorimetric studies at Brookhaven;@) however, this results.c5) A 15 ‘A decrease in D, is predicted from

value may be appreciably higher if all the carbon in equation (16) at 82B’C and 4000 atm. assuming a
solution does not participate in the reaction due value for AV,, of 0.5 atomic volumes. Furthermore,
either t,o previous precipitation or to an insu&ieney if E,, is pressure sensitive, then the decrease in
of vacancy traps at the temperature of the reaction. D, will be larger.
The electron microscopy studies at Brookhaven(17)
B. Nonstatistical experimental errors
indicate that the latter effect may be occurring. A
range of EfWfrom 29 kca,l/mol to 40 kcal/mol has been A possible error in the radioactive technique of
suggested by various investigators.(s~1a~~9) From the counting low energy /3 particles is due to the contri-
results of this experiment, an upper limit of the bution of subsurface activity to the surface count
activation energy for the motion of the pair is about rate. The effective counting thickness b of each
10 kcal/mol. This energy is sufficiently less than the section can be expressed by the relation
activation energies of motion of either the carbon 6

or vacancy in alpha iron. a, = n, exp - (FK) (LX (171

f0
CONCLUSIONS
where a, is the countrate measured at the surface due
The diffusion of carbon in alpha iron deviates from to the distribution a, in the section. If ,u is the bulk
a straight line behavior on a plot of In D, versus l/T absorptivity, then b will be in the order of the range
at high temperatures. The value of the measured of cc particles in the material.
diffusivities may be fit with a two mechanism All the count rates measured in this experiment were
expression. An empirical model which includes the
looking into a decreasing gradient of activity, with
possibility of a carbon-vacancy interaction is proposed the exception of the a0 determination. In the extreme
to explain this deviation. case where the activity gradient, is very steep, our
APPENDICES count rate would be due primarily to surface activity.
However, the a0 determina.tion would appear to be a
volume effect. This error may be cxpressed by

For the case 7 < 1, equation (8) may be rewritten

(18)
B, = D, + @, (14)
for the conditions of this experiment.
l3, has been shown to be pressure independentc5) to
Using equation (18) we may write, neglecting
4000 atm. Assuming Y&, D,,, B and E,, to be
background,
pressure independent, it is clear that
X 2a
erf --.- = I - 2
2dtDe,, a0 exl,

X
= erf I___ (19)
21/tD,,t
or
D exp I D,,t (20)
(15)
under the conditions of this experiment.
The room pressure values are indicated by the sub- This effect has been investigated by redetermining
script 0. Integrating one obtains the diffusivity of sample #2B looking from the low
activity side. In this counting situation
= D, + yoD,, exp -
D,(P. 117)
D exp 2 Dact (21)

The results of this determination indicate a diffusivity

approxima~ly 10 % higher than the results of 3A.
Another source of error is in neglecting to correct
the diffusion time for the heat-up time. Such a
correction would tend to increase the diffusivity at
In the low temperature region where D, 4 D, the any temperature.
model agrees qualitatively with the high pressure Comparison of all the errors involved in the
 HOMAN: DIFFUSION OF C IN ALPHA Fe 1059

R. DOREMUSand E. KOCH, Trans. AZME 218,591(1960).

measurement indicated that the constant error due
E. SMITH, Indirect Observations of Imperfections in Crystals,
to the subsurface activity contribution described p. 207. Interscience (1962).
10. The Batelle Iron used in this experiment was provided
above is the largest, hence the reported limit of error
through the kind offices of J. W. Halley, Chairman of the
reflects this uncertainty. Pure Iron Subcommittee of the American Iron and Steel
Institute Research Committee. The analysis provided is
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Al-15 ppm; 0-5 ppm; Co-5 ppm; Cu-7 ppm; Ni-20 ppm;
P-9 ppm; Si-10 ppm; C-10 ppm; O-10 ppm; N-2 ppm;
I would like to acknowledge the many helpful S-18 ppm. Other metallic impurities were not detected.
discussions with my thesis adviser, Prof. H. B. 11. The radioactive methane used to carburize the specimen
was purchased from two soumes, Tracerlab and Nuclear
Huntington and to thank him for the encouragement Chicago. The activity of the three ampules used was
he provided throughout this research. I would also 4.9, 2.0 and 2.0 mc/mM.
12. See L. 8. DARKEN, in Atom Movements. SSM Monograph
like to acknowledge the help received from my (1951).
colleagues at Watervliet Arsenal, especially Mr. J. F. 13. The author is indebted to Prof. F. Lenel, Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute, for suggesting this method of
Cox for his aid and ideas, and Dr. L. Meisel and reducing decarburization effects.
Mr. J. Frankel for their discussions. 14. M. HANSEN, Constitution of Binary Alloys, 2nd edition,
p. 353. McGraw-Hill (1958).
15. C. J. SMITHELLS Metals Reference Book, 3rd edition,
REFERENCES Vol. 9. Butterworths (1962).
1. C. A. WERT, Phys. Rev. 79, 601 (1950). 16. T. S. Kfi Metals Tech. T.P. No. 2370 (June 1948); Phys.
2. C. A. WERT and C. ZENER, Phys. Rev. 76, 1169 (1949). Rev. 74, 9 (1948).
3. J.K. STANLEY, Trans. AIME 185,(1949). 17. H. WAGENBLASTand A. DAMASK, J. Phys. Ch,em. Solids
4. R. P. SMITH, Trans. AZME 224, 105 (1962). 23, 221 (1962).
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