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Steel is a family of iron- iron carbide (Fe3C) alloys, and other alloying elements. In the processing of plain carbon steels, residual elements are present in low concentrations, e. g., Mn (0.6 Wt %), P (0.05%), and Si ( 0.3%) In alloy steels, alloying elements are deliberately added to make steels hardenable/ achieve specific properties. The iron-iron carbide phase diagram is useful in understanding steel alloys -- their heat treatment, microstructure and properties 2
IRON-IRON CARBIDE PHASE DIAGRAM This diagram depicts, in a temperature vs. composition plot, the regions of stability of equilibrium phases
Crystal Structures
- Body centered cube
9 atoms: 8 at cube corners and 1 in the center
Crystal Structures
Cementite - Iron carbide Fe3C chemical compound of iron and carbon
723 C
HYPOEUTECTOID STEELS
High strength & toughness Readily fabricated Nearly all structural and automotive steels fall into this category Carbon contents up to 0.8%
How does microstructure change with temperature?
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HYPOEUTECTOID STEELS
Consider 0.2% C steel
Heat to 927C - all austenite grains - called austenitising temperature Cool to 815C - primary ferrite begins to form at austenite grain boundaries (allotriomorphs & Widmanstatten plates) Further cooling causes more ferrite to form and austenite to be enriched in carbon, until at the eutectoid temperature ( 723C) the remaining austenite transforms to pearlite, a lamellar mixture of ferrite and carbide
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HYPOEUTECTOID STEELS
Very slow cooling needed to get equilibrium amount of phases More rapid cooling suppresses primary ferrite formation and results in finer lamellar spacing in pearlite By holding at temperatures just below the eutectoid temperature (say, at 710C) the lamellar structure will spherodise, yielding better ductility
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Plain-Carbon Steels
Properties depend on C content and thermomechanical processing & the heat treatment the steel has received. For low carbon contents less than 0.5%, increasing the carbon content, increases the pearlite, and thus the tensile and yield strengths. Cold drawing improves the tensile and yield strengths. In the higher carbon range, 0.6-0.95 wt % the pearlite has to be spheroidised in order to draw the steel. Thus, drawing does not improve the tensile strength, but does improve the yield strength. Usually, the higher strength, the lower elongation. 12
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HYPEREUTECTOID STEELS Carbon contents -- 0.8 to 2.0% High carbon - more carbide which results in higher strength, hardness and wear resistance, but poorer ductility Assume 1.0% C steel Heat to 890C -- all austenite grains Cool to 660C, primary carbide forms at austenite grain boundaries
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HYPEREUTECTOID STEELS
At the eutectoid temperature, the remaining austenite transforms to pearlite. Primary carbide can be suppressed by rapid cooling. Pearlite can be spheroidised by holding at temperatures just below the eutectoid
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By measuring length changes in a rod of steel undergoing isothermal transformation (dilatometry) or using hot stage microscope, it is possible to determine the start and stop times of the transformation A partially completed isothermal transformation curve for a 1080 (eutectoid) steel. Between 723C and about 540C austenite transforms to pearlite Below 540C the ferrite + carbide microstructure is no longer lamellar, but changes to a feathery, acicular(needle-like) structure, which is called Bainite
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Below about 215C, austenite transforms to a product called Martensite. Martensite forms instantly ( 10-6 sec) as the temperature drops below the martensite - start temperature, Ms , which in this case is 215C At each temperature below Ms , only a fraction of the austenite is transformed, until at the martensite-finish temperature, M f , the transformation is complete.
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When austenite transforms to martensite the carbon in the austenite does not have time to precipitate as iron carbide and remains in solution while the austenite transforms to a body-centered tetragonal unit cell -- a strained bcc cell. Because of this martensite is a very hard, low ductility product that increases in hardness as the carbon content increases. The completed iso-thermal transformation curve for the 1080 steel as determined from dilation curves, see fig.
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Conventional Tempering
Austenitize at temperatures for 0.5 hrs. Oil quench to T below M f Reheat to 400F - 1000F for 1-10 hrs. to temper to desired hardness
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For hypoeutectoid steels, the TTT curve shows an austenite + primary ferrite region For hypereutectoid steels, Fig. 4c-10, the TTT curve shows an austenite + primary carbide region. Higher carbon steels have lower Ms Mf temperature
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Soft, ductile, no useful hardening by heat treatment except by normalizing, but can be work-hardened. Weldable.
Strong, ductile, no useful hardening by heat treatment except by normalizing, but can be workhardened. Weldable.Ductile-brittle transition temperature is just below room temperature Very strong, heat treatable to produce a wide range of properties in quenched and tempered conditions. Difficult to weld. Can become brittle below room temperature.
0.25 - 0.6
Bars and forgings for a wide range of engineering components. Connecting rods, springs, hammers, axle shafts requiring strength and toughness.
0.6 - 0.9
Strong, whether heat treated or not. Ductility lower when less carbon is present
Used where maximum strength rather than toughness is important. Tools, wear resisting components ( piano wire and silver steels are in this group).
0.9 - 2.0
Wear resistant and can be made Cutting tools like wood very hard at expense of toughness chisels, files, saw blades. and ductility. Cannot be welded. Tend to be brittle if the structure is not carefully controlled