ME 204
ENGINEERING METALLURGY
IRON CARBON PHASE DIAGRAM
• Forms the basis for all steels and cast iron materials
• The properties of steel and cast iron materials can be modified in numerous
ways into different ranges of mechanical strength.
• This can be achieved due to the interactions between two main phases (FCC
and BCC crystal structure) and also the carbon content.
• With the share of 4.7 percent iron is the second most common metal in the
earth’s crust after aluminiumre of about.
• Asper the designation of steel by European standard EN10020 defines steel as
a material consisting mainly of iron with a maximum carbon content of 2
percent.
• Currently there exist around 2500 steel grades. This is possible because steel
properties can be modified widely by either heat treatment or alloying
element additions.
IRON CARBON PHASE DIAGRAM
• Iron is one in a few metals which exist in
different types of crystals. As per Summon
analysis, the cooling curve of iron shows
three arrests points. Pure iron solidifies at
1536 degree Celsius forming crystals with a
body centered cubic lattice called the delta
iron. Here the first arrest point occurs. At BCC
1401 degree Celsius face centered cubic
lattice called gamma iron appears (Second
arrest point). At 911 degree Celsius, Body
centred lattice called alpha iron appears FCC
(Third arrest point). At a certain temperature
the ferromagnetic or ferroelectric properties
of a sample is disappeared completely so
that it will be only paramagnetic above that BCC
point. This temperature is called the Curie
temperature. For iron, Curie temperature is
at 769 degree Celsius
IRON CARBON PHASE DIAGRAM
Note:
• Of all the crystal types of iron two are of particular importance for
steels:
Alpha iron: Ferrite, BCC
Gamma iron: Austenite, FCC
IRON CARBON PHASE DIAGRAM
• At higher carbon
concentration, the
material mostly
consists of
graphite.
• Not suitable for
structural
applications.
IRON CARBON PHASE DIAGRAM
(stable system)
• When dealing with cast iron and
grey cast iron material stable iron
carbon phase diagram is used.
• Upto 7 weight percent carbon.
• Iron carbide phase diagram (or)
in general iron carbon phase
diagram.
• This shows a stable system for an
infinitely slow cooling for which
carbon precipitates out as
graphite
IRON CARBON PHASE DIAGRAM
(stable system)
melt + δ solid solutions
δ solid solutions
me
lt +
γs melt
olid
δ+ γ solid solutions s olu melt + graphite
tio
ns
γ solid solutions
γ solid solutions + graphite
γ + α solid solutions
α solid solutions
α solid solutions + graphite
IRON CARBON PHASE DIAGRAM
(stable system)
• 1536 deg C : Pure iron solidifies to form crystals with a BCC structure
called delta iron.
• 1401 deg C: It transitions to a densely packed FCC crystal structure called
gamma iron.
• 911 deg C: After further cooling another BCC crystal structure is formed
called alpha iron.
• Area between delta and gamma iron & area between gamma and alpha
iron are also present as indicated in the figure.
• Above the liquidus line there is melt.
IRON CARBON PHASE DIAGRAM
(stable system)
• Carbon is soluble in iron but iron is insoluble in carbon, carbon
precipitates out as graphite. Thus the remaining phase fields are:
(i) melt + graphite
(ii) γ solid solutions + graphite
(iii) α solid solutions + graphite
IRON CARBON PHASE DIAGRAM (meta stable
system)PERITECTIC SYSTEM
EUTECTIC SYSTEM
For steels meta
stable system is
LEDEBURITE
used.
EUTECTOID SYSTEM
Pearlite
IRON CARBON PHASE DIAGRAM (Meta stable
system)
• Cementite is an intermetallic compound of iron and carbon (Fe3C); high
strength and hardness but low degree of toughness.
• A carbon content of 6.67 percent corresponds to a cementite content of
100 percent. This means that iron iron carbide phase diagram ends here.
IRON CARBON PHASE DIAGRAM (Meta stable
system)
EUTECTIC SYSTEM
• The structural constituents resulting from the three phases (austenite,
ferrite and cementite) are termed with their own names.
• The region with high temperature and high cementite mass is recognised
as a system with decreasing limited solubility in the solid state known as
an eutectic system.
• For the iron carbon system, the eutectic point is at 4.3 percent carbon
and 1147 deg C.
• As we see the eutectic system, austenite and cementite almost makes
half of the system. This is named as ledeburite (strong, hard but britt/e
due to high cementite content).
IRON CARBON PHASE DIAGRAM (Meta stable
system)
EUTECTOID SYSTEM
• The phase diagram also indicates an area with low temperature and low
cementite mass content with a system with decreasing limited solubility in the
solid state. Unlike eutectic system, the transformation does not start from the
components dissolved in each other in the melt but from from the components
dissolved in each other in the solid state (austenite). This system is very similar
to the eutectic and is called eutectoid system.
• Eutectoid point: 0.8 % Carbon ; 723 deg C
• The eutectoid structure is called Pearlite (soft, tough ferrite layered with
cementite)
IRON CARBON PHASE DIAGRAM (Meta stable
system)
PERITECTIC SYSTEM
• At high temperatures and low carbon content, the area which looks like
eutectoid system turned up side down is called peritectic system.
• Peritectic Point: 0.16 % Carbon; 1493 deg Celsius.
• Here, delta ferrite and the remaining melt transforms into austenite.
IRON CARBON PHASE DIAGRAM (Meta stable
system)
CEMENTITE
• Cementite which crystallizes from the melt below the line CD from the
iron carbon phase diagram is called primary cementite (C1)
• Secondary cementite (C2) develops by precipitation of the austenite
when the temperature falls below SEF.
• Tertiary cementite (C3) precipitates out of the ferrite below the PQK.
IRON CARBON PHASE DIAGRAM (Meta stable
system)
• Stable and meta stable
phase diagram placed over
one another.
• Slight variations observed.
• Most engineering
materials contains other
alloying elements other
than Carbon which
significantly will change
the properties.
