Martensite

• Formed when austenite cools rapidly (or is

quenched) to a relatively low temperature
(near ambient) – instantaneous
• Occurs when quenching rate is rapid enough
to prevent carbon diffusion
• Diffusionless transformation of austenite
• Must be formed from austenite; cannot be
formed from pearlite or bainite

2
Diffusionless transformation?
Martensite can grow very rapidly.
No composition change during transforma-
tion.
Consisting of a large shear (shear
transformation) and a volume expansion
thin plate to minimize the strain energy
 BCT Martensite

FCC Austenite BCT Martensite

(g phase) (body-centered tetragonal)

The body-centered tetragonal unit cell for martensitic steel showing

iron atoms (circles) and sites that may be occupied by carbon atoms
(crosses). For this tetragonal unit cell, c > a.
 The habit plane

The need to minimize stains introduces some curvature when

the transformation is constrained by its surroundings.
 LATTICE
-INVARIANT
DEFORMATION

w z w z
Twin
Boundary

x y x y
Twinned Slipped
Martensite Martensite

Correct macroscopic shape, correct structure

The effect of deformation
Rotation is required
 The Role of Carbon
(1) the Shape of Martensite BCT Crystal Structure
FCC BCC
BCT

Note the effect of carbon levels in

martensite’s a and c lattice parame-
ters. That means the unit cell volume
is also affected.
 (2) Martensitic Transformations

Types of marten-
site in plain car-
bon steels:
• Lath martensite
• Plate martensite
 Growth of Martensite

Nucleation sites are grain boundaries, twin boundary and inclu-

sion particle interfaces.

Martensite plate growth at extremely rapid rates.

Not strongly thermally activated

Movement of an array of parallel dislocations lying in the inter-

face.

Motion of the habit plane in a direction normal to itself.

Strengthening mechanism of Martensite
(a) Dislocations interact with the tetragonality of martensite
due to carbon – hindering dislocation motion
Dislocation-solute pinning effect
The austenite grain size determine the max
size of a martensite plate.
To the high dislocation populations,
resulting on the strong interactions.
 Cooling rate and alloying elements

The cooling rate can be very high for plain carbon steels but quite slow
for a heavily alloyed steel containing large concentrations of austenite
stabilizing solutions

a 4340 steel.
Quench cracks
To reduce residual stresses and quench cracking