Unit Cell Cubic Structures

• IRON-CARBON PHASE DIAGRAM (PT1) How to build
the phase diagram

1. INTRODUCTION
In this article we're going to explain how to build the iron -

carbon phase diagram.
The Fe - C diagram (also called the iron - carbon phase or
equilibrium diagram) is a graphic representation of the
respective microstructure states of the alloy iron - carbon
(Fe-C) depending on temperature and carbon content.
To explain this diagram, an introduction about metal

structures and pure iron must be done.
2. UNIT CELL CUBIC STRUCTURES

Before to explain the Fe-C diagram we've to introduce the
two structures that are involved in the diagram and
precisely:
1. BODY-CENTERED CUBIC (BCC) structure, in which there's an
atom at each corner of the cube and one in the center;
2. FACE-CENTERED CUBIC (FCC) structure, in which there's an
atom at the corner of each unit cell and one in the center of each
face, but there's no atom at the center of the cube;
Here below we can see the main differences between the

two structures and relevant properties:
3. IRON
Iron (Fe) is an allotropic metal that change behavior
based on temperature. It's a relatively soft and ductile
metal. It exists in more than one type of lattice structure
(BCC/FCC). In fact there're four allotropic transformations
and five phases that iron can assume. All of these can be
easily represented using a COOLING CURVE where the
following phases can be identified:
1. LIQUID PHASE (L), above 1539 °C iron is in the liquid phase;
2. DELTA FERRITE (δ-Fe), if we slowly cooling down the pure iron
below his melting point (1539 °C) it will crystallize into a phase,
which has a body-centered cubic (BCC) structure;
3. GAMMA FERRITE (γ-Fe), cooling down further until 1400 °C,
iron assume a new phase called gamma (austenite), which has a
face-centered cubic (FCC) structure;
4. ALFA FERRITE non magnetic (α-Fe), at 910 C an below the iron
assume a new structure called alfa ferrite, which is again a BCC
structure;
5. ALFA FERRITE magnetic (α-Fe), under 770 C, iron assume a
magnetic properties maintaining the BCC structure of alfa ferrite;
4. Fe-C PHASE DIAGRAM
As mentioned before the Fe-C phase diagram is the

representation of all the phases and structures of the alloy
iron - carbon based on the different temperature and
carbon content.
This diagram is particular important in order to:

• Classify the alloy into different groups like steel and cast iron;
• Identify the different phases of iron;
• Identify the microstructure of the different phases;
• Provide the information regarding solidification and heat
treatments;
We're going to see how build the diagram step by step

starting to the essential temperatures indicated regarding
the pure iron.
Temperature (°C) is indicated in the y-axis and weight
carbon content (wt % C) is indicated in the x-axis. In the
diagram is represented a maximum value of 6.67% C as
there's no particular application in engineering for carbon
content above this value.
Now we've to introduce the three invariant and isothermal

reactions as indicated here below:
1. PERITECTIC REACTION, the liquid (at 0.5% C) and δ-Fe (at
0.1% C) phases transform into a austenite (with 0.2% C) at
temperature of 1493 °C;
2. EUTECTIC REACTION, the liquid solidifies as a phase mixture
of austenite (with 2.1% C) and cementite (with 6.67% C) at
temperature of 1147 °C;
3. EUTECTOID REACTION, austenite (at 0.8% C) transforms into
a phase mixture of ferrite (with 0.02% C) and cementite (with
6.67% C) at temperature of 727 °C;
The three invariant reactions can be easily represented in
the diagram as three horizontal lines with fixed
temperature as indicated here below:
Now we can identify all the phases of the diagrams which

are:
1. LIQUID PHASE (L)
2. DELTA FERRITE PHASE (δ-Fe), is an interstitial solid solution of
C in δ-Fe (BCC) in the high temperature region of the diagram.
It's stable at temperature above 1400 °C and melts at
temperature above 1539 °C;
3. GAMMA FERRITE PHASE (γ-Fe), is an interstitial solid solution
of C in γ-Fe (FCC). It's also called austenite. Is not stable below
910 °C. The max solubility of C is about 2.1% at 1147 °C. It's has
high formability;
4. ALFA FERRITE PHASE (α-Fe), is an interstitial solid solution of
C in α-Fe (BCC). It's a stable form of iron at room temperature.
The max solubility of C is about 0.02% at 727 °C. It's a fairly and
ductile phase, actually the softest one structure of the diagram;
5. CEMENTITE (Fe3C), also called as iron carbide. It's an inter
metallic compound of iron and carbon with orthorhombic crystal
system. It's very hard and brittle phase, actually the hardest
structure of the entire diagram;
5. PROPERTIES OF THE DIFFERENT PHASES

Based on the microstructures each phase has different
properties as indicated here below:
6. GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
Based on the general form of the diagram we can start to
classify the alloy Fe-C into these groups:
• IRON, with a carbon content less than 0.008% in α-Fe structure
at room temperature;
• STEEL, with a carbon content between 0.008 and 2.1%
(generally less than 1%) in α-Fe + Fe3C structure at room
temperature;
• CAST IRON, with a carbon content between 2.1 and 6.67%
(generally less than 4.5%);
In the future articles we are going to talk about the different types of
steels and cast irons that can be identified through the diagram.
Author: Eng. Matteo Sporchia
Copyright - P4S - Products 4 Steelmaking - ALL RIGHTS

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• IRON-CARBON PHASE DIAGRAM (PT1) How to build

the phase diagram

In this article we're going to explain how to build the iron -

To explain this diagram, an introduction about metal

2. UNIT CELL CUBIC STRUCTURES

Here below we can see the main differences between the

4. Fe-C PHASE DIAGRAM

As mentioned before the Fe-C phase diagram is the

This diagram is particular important in order to:

We're going to see how build the diagram step by step

Now we've to introduce the three invariant and isothermal

Now we can identify all the phases of the diagrams which

5. PROPERTIES OF THE DIFFERENT PHASES

Author: Eng. Matteo Sporchia

Copyright - P4S - Products 4 Steelmaking - ALL RIGHTS

• If you're interested to know more about anything related to the

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