The Micro-structural nature of low carbon steel at Room Temperature

Objective is to illustrate the Room Temperature Micro-Structures of the following steels:

(a) Fe !"!!#$ %
(b) Fe !"!&$ %
(c) Fe !"'$ %
(() Fe !") $ %
(e) Fe *"! $ %
..
Three types of ferrous alloys:
+ ,ron : less than !"!!) wt $ % in -.ferrite at room Temperature
+ Steels: !"!!) - &"*' wt $ % --ferrite Fe
/
% at room Temperature
+ %ast iron : &"*' - 0"1 wt $
Fe + 0.005% an! Fe + 0.0"%
2ow carbon steel of both Fe !"!!#$ % an( Fe !"!&$ % can be categori3e( into wrought ,ron"
#rou$ht %ron : Fe + & ' 0.0( wt% ) + *la$ &%mpurities)
,n wrought ,ron4 Ferrite an( Slag (,mpurities) are soli(ifie( in to a past5 mass as illustrate(" The
structure is 6%% (- - ferrite)" 7rought ,ron is shape( b5 forging or rolling an( it is use( for chains4
anchors4 crane hoo8s4 etc"
The Micro-structure of those steels at room temperature will be as follows:

9age + of ,
Slag
Ferrite (-)
&a) Fe + 0.005%
The amount of phases present: 7eight Fraction at room temperature can be calculate( as follows:
2et ; < !"!!# (appro;imatel5) then 5 < 0"1 = !"!!# < 0"0>#
65 appl5ing 2ever Rule:
Ferrite (-)$ ; !"!!# < Slag $ ; 0"0>#---------------(*)
Ferrite (-)$ Slag$ < *!!-------------------------(&)
Ferrite (-)$: 0"0># < Slag$: !"!!# < *!!: 0"1
Then4
Ferrite (-)$ < *!! ; 0"0>#:0"1 < >>">$
Slag $ < *!! ; !"!!#: 0"1 < !"!1#$ (ie" !"*$)
&b) Fe + 0.0"%
The amount of phases present: 7eight Fraction at room temperature:
2et ; < !"!& (appro;imatel5) then 5 < 0"1 = !"!& < 0"0)
65 appl5ing 2ever Rule:
Ferrite (-)$ ; !"!& < Slag $ ; 0"0)---------------(*)
Ferrite (-)$ Slag$ < *!!-------------------------(&)
Ferrite (-)$: 0"0) < Slag$: !"!& < *!!: 0"1
Then4
Ferrite (-)$ < *!! ; 0"0):0"1 < >>"1$
Slag $ < *!! ; !"!&: 0"1 < !"&>>$ (ie" !"/$)
9age " of ,
-ow arbon *teel : Fe + & 0.0( . 0.( % )
The Structure contains - = Fe 9earlite (- Fe
/
% la5ers) as illustrate(" The strength of low carbon
steel is greater than wrought ,ron" 2ow carbon steels are use( for general constructional purposes such
as wire for nails4 rivets4 tubes4 etc"
Me!ium arbon *teel : Fe + & 0.( . 0./ % )
The Structure contains - = Fe 9earlite" The 9earlite content increases with the increase of %$" ?t
!")$ % the structure is completel5 9earlite (- Fe
/
% in la5ers) as illustrate(" These steel are use( for
machiner5 components such as @uts A 6olts4 Shafts an( Bears"
@ow:
( c) Fe + 0.0 %
This is a Me(ium %arbon Steel" The Micro-structure of this steel at room temperature will be as
follows:
The amount of phases present: 7eight Fraction at room temperature:
2et ; < !"' (appro;imatel5) then 5 < 0"1 = !"' < 0"/
65 appl5ing 2ever Rule:
Ferrite (-)$ ; !"' < 9earlite $ ; 0"/---------------(*)
Ferrite (-)$ 9earlite$ < *!!-------------------------(&)
Ferrite (-)$: 0"/ < 9earlite$: !"' < *!!: 0"1
9age ( of ,
- = Ferrite
9earlite (Car8)
Slag
- = Ferrite
9earlite (Car8)
Then4
Ferrite (-)$ < *!! ; 0"/:0"1 < >'"!$
9earlite $ < *!! ; !"': 0"1 < #">1$ (ie" 0"!$)
@ow4
( () Fe + 0./%
This is a eutectoi( steel containing of !")$ %" Dence no transformation ta8es place until the steel is
coole( to eutectoi( temperature (1&/
!
%)4 where though eutectoi( reaction austenite to pearlitic
transformation ta8es place" 1ence at room temperature we $et +00% 2earlite in the
microstructure"
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Remar8:
2earlite: ? mi;ture of alternate strips of ferrite an( cementite in a single grain" The (istance between the
plates an( their thic8ness is (epen(ant on the cooling rate of the materialF fast cooling creates thin plates that
are close together an( slow cooling creates a much coarser structure possessing less toughness" ? full5
pearlitic structure occurs at !")$ %arbon"
1i$h arbon *teel : Fe + & 0./ . +./ % )
The structure contains 9earlite an( %ementite (Fe
/
%) nee(les" Cue to high content of cementite the
strength is ver5 high" Therefore these steel are use( for Cies4 %utting tools4 etc"4 for which a ver5 high
9age 0 of ,
wear resistance is reGuire("
@ow4
( e) Fe + +.0%
This is a high carbon steel" The Micro-structure of this steel at room temperature will be as follows:

The amount of phases present: 7eight Fraction at room temperature:
2et ; < *"! (appro;imatel5) then 5 < 0"1 = *"! < #"1
65 appl5ing 2ever Rule:
9earlite$ ; *"! < %ementite $ ; #"1---------------(*)
9earlite$ %ementite$ < *!!-------------------------(&)
9earlite$: #"1 < %ementite$: *"! < *!!: 0"1
Then4
9earlite$ < *!! ; #"1:0"1 < )#"!1$
%ementite $ < *!! ; *"!: 0"1 < *'">/$
Following is the seGuences of change of phases of the three allo5s (Fe !"'$ %4 Fe !")$ % an(
Fe *"!$ %) cooling from the austenite region to room temperature"
9age 5 of ,
9earlite
%ementite (6lac8)
3lloy +: ,t is a D5po-eutectoi( steel containing !"'$ carbon"
3lloy ": ,t is a eutectoi( steel containing of !")$ %" Dence no transformation ta8es place until the
steel is coole( to eutectoi( temperature (1&/
!
%)4 where though eutectoi( reaction austenite to pearlitic
transformation ta8es place" Dence at room temperature we get *!!$ pearlite in the microstructure"
3lloy (: ,t is a h5per-eutectoi( steel containing *"!$ carbon" Curing cooling from the austenite range
this e;tra carbon shall be remove( from the austenite" The e;cess carbon is precipitate( out of soli(
solution but (uring the process it brings with it ferrite atoms an( the final precipitate is not pure carbon
but is cementite" ?s cooling an( cementite precipitation continue the remaining austenite becomes
gra(uall5 lower in carbon content" Then it changes to pearlite the reaction temperature being 1&/
!
%"
Finall5 we get a room-temperature microstructure of primar5 Fe
/
% plus 9earlite"
9age , of ,
Room
Temperature
1&/
!
%
Temperatur